Imprimatur

Jus novum (c. 1140-1563) Jus novissimum (c. 1563-1918) Jus codicis (1918-present) Other Sacraments Sacramentals Sacred places Sacred times Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures Particular churches Juridic persons Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of Catholic canon law Clerics Office Juridic and physical persons Associations of the faithful Pars dynamica (trial procedure) Canonization Election of the Roman Pontiff Academic degrees Journals and Professional Societies Faculties of canon law Canonists Institute of consecrated life Society of apostolic life In the Catholic Church an imprimatur is an official declaration by a Church authority that a book or other printed work may be published;[2][3] it is usually only applied for and granted to books on religious topics from a Catholic perspective.

[4] The grant of imprimatur is normally preceded by a favourable declaration (known as a nihil obstat)[5] by a person who has the knowledge, orthodoxy, and prudence necessary for passing a judgement about the absence from the publication of anything that would "harm correct faith or good morals.

This happened three times in the 1980s, when the Holy See judged that complaints made to it about religion textbooks for schools were well founded and ordered the bishop to revoke his approval.

[8] The permission of the local ordinary is required for the publication of prayer books,[10] catechisms, and other catechetical texts[11] and for school textbooks on Scripture, theology, canon law, church history, or religious or moral subjects.

2. c. 33) required books, according to their subject, to receive the authorization, known as the imprimatur, of the Lord Chancellor, the Earl Marshall, a principal secretary of state, the Archbishop of Canterbury, or the Bishop of London.

It is often in the form of a letter, possibly on stationery, and generally includes not only "approbation, recommendation, or endorsement" of the work, but also a blessing for the success of the author in this and other accomplishments.