Does anyone know a good source for understanding the distinctions bewteen an Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat? I’m not asking for an explanation, I need to source. There is a description in wiki:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imprimatur but I want to refer to something authoratative. I am using this in a scripture study class for teens. I don’t want to discuss the importance of using materials with an Imprimatur by referring to a source without one!
This is a hard on to search on since searches pull up documents with an imprimatur, not documents about the imprimatur.
QUOTE
CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS An exercise of vigilance
by the Church for safeguarding
authentic religious teaching. Pertinent legislation
in a decree issued by the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
April 9, 1975, is embodied in the Code of
Canon Law (Book III,Title IV).The legislation
deals with requirements for pre-publication
review and clearance of various
types of writings on religious subjects.
Permission to publish works of a religious
character, together with the apparatus of
reviewing them beforehand, falls under
the authority of the bishop of the place
where the writer lives or where the works
are published. Clearance for publication is
usually indicated by the terms Nihil
obstat (“Nothing stands in the way”)
issued by the censor and Imprimatur
(“Let it be printed”) authorized by the
bishop.
The clearing of works for publication
does not necessarily imply approval
of an author’s viewpoint or his manner of
handling a subject.
UNQUOTE
