Doctrine

MANDATE AND GOALS FOR THE COMMITTEE

The committee assists the bishops, both collectively and individually, in areas of faith and morals of the Church. It collaborates with the committees of the Conference through consultation and evaluation, providing expertise and guidance concerning the theological issues that confront the Church in the United States. The Committee particularly addresses the relationship to science, human values, and health care. The committee supports the bishops’ efforts in the area of development and review of Scripture translations.

This mandate includes the following areas of responsibility: Doctrinal issues, science and human values, health care and the Church, review of Scripture translations, including development of a Spanish Bible.

KEY MISSION RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Providing expertise for present theological, moral, and doctrinal issues
2. Collaborating and consulting with other USCCB committees and offices to ensure the doctrinal integrity of USCCB documents, including those that address the pastoral practices of the Church
3. Providing consultation to other committees, including advising and representing the bishops and fostering the theological education of the bishops
4. Supporting the translation and review of scriptural texts, and liaising with the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD)
5. Studying issues of significance and evaluating theological and moral trends of concern to contemporary society, including structured dialogues with the scientific community and collaboration on health care issues with Human Development and Domestic Policy
6. Communicating and promoting the teachings of the Church in support of the Holy See and the Church in general
7. Creating and promoting doctrinal resources in collaboration with other committees

KEY MISSION RELATIONSHIPS

1. With the committees and offices of the USCCB, particularly with Human Development and Domestic Policy on health care issues
2. With dioceses and bishops of the United States
3. With the Holy See and other episcopal conferences
4. With theological and biblical organizations, both national and international
5. With institutes and organizations that address the application of theological principles to contemporary issues, particularly science, human values and health care