Expositio super symbolum Apostolorum

The holy catholic Church, the communion of saints.

This pertains to the aforesaid article. But it is asked how it pertains to the aforesaid article, since it does not cohere with the preceding things, nor does it pertain to the condition of the Holy Spirit along with any of the preceding things. To this we say that, since the Holy Spirit is the gift of the Father and the Son, in this gift the Church has its being holy and catholic. Since, then, it pertains to the Holy Spirit that the Church is holy and catholic, all these things pertain to one article, "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church," or because this was composed by one apostle, namely James the Greater, it is reckoned as one article.

The sense, then, is: I believe the Church to be holy and catholic, not "in" it. For we are bound to believe only in God, that is, to tend toward him by faith and charity as toward our supreme end. But we are bound to believe that the Church is holy and catholic, and to believe her words, that is, the Church's, and that what she preaches is true, but not to believe "in" the Church. For this would be to offer divine worship to a creature, and thus we would be idolaters.

And note that "church" is one thing and "synagogue" another. For "church" is interpreted as a "calling together," and thus it belongs to rational beings. "Synagogue" means a "gathering together," and this can belong to inanimate things as well. Hence the calling together of the faithful in the New Testament is called "church" because they are more rational; but the gathering of the Jews, who are as it were stone-like and irrational, is called a "synagogue."

We are bound, then, to believe that the Church is holy, which from the first Abel has never ceased to exist among certain just persons. Hence too, when Elijah believed himself to be the only just man left, it was told him by the Lord that there were still seven thousand men who had not bent their knees before Baal.¹

We are also bound to believe that the Church is threefold, namely the Church triumphant, which already reigns in the heavens and consists of holy souls; the Church militant, which still journeys as a pilgrim on earth; and the Church awaiting, which still waits in purgatory. It follows:

The holy Church.

The Church is called holy for a threefold reason: because from eternity she was sanctioned and ordained in God's predestination; because she is preserved in unchanging sacraments (for the sacraments of the Old Testament were changeable and merely co-signifying, not truly signifying, whereas the sacraments of the New Testament are both unchanging and sanctifying); and third, because she is founded on faith and charity and the other virtues.

Catholic,

that is, universal. The Church is called universal because she is gathered from every people, every condition, every sex, every age. This is said against the synagogue, which was gathered from only one people.

She is also called universal on account of the universal precepts given to her. But to the synagogue particular precepts were given: particular in time, because changeable; particular in people, because for one people only; particular in condition, because for the free; particular in sex, as circumcision, for males only.

But the precepts given to the Church are universal, because they are unchanging and are set forth for every people, every sex, every condition. And this is what is added in the Nicene Creed, "And one holy catholic." The Church is said to be one because she is not divided by schisms, because there is one God, one faith, one baptism.² Hence, on the contrary, it is said of the assemblies of heretics, "Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation."³ She is also called one against the heretics, who say that among themselves there are various churches. Holy and catholic as has been explained.

Apostolic.

The Church is called apostolic because she is spread throughout the world. Hence it is said as it were from "sent forth over." Or apostolic, that is, founded by the apostles, or retaining the apostles' precepts. This article was composed by blessed James the Greater, brother of John the Evangelist.

The communion of saints.

The communion of saints is the spiritual union of the saints in the Church. We are bound to believe this because the faithful are spiritually united in the Church by faith and charity. Hence it is said, "They had one heart and one soul"⁴: one heart for believing the same thing, one soul for willing the same thing.

For there are three things that make for the communion or union of the faithful, namely faith, charity, obedience. These are the bonds by which the faithful are united in the Church, of which it is said, "A threefold cord is not easily broken."⁵ From the breaking of faith arises heresy. From the breaking of charity arises schism. From the breaking of obedience arises contumacy. Hence some are heretics, or schismatics, or contumacious excommunicates, that is, they are placed outside the aforesaid union of the saints.

We can also believe in a communion of saints that is the spiritual blessedness passing from the Church militant to the Church triumphant. For the merits of the saints who are already in the homeland intercede for those who are still on the way. We are bound to believe this communion as well. Hence someone departing this life in faith and charity, if his good merits do not seem to balance evenly against his evil deeds, can plead on his own behalf the grill of Lawrence, the rack of Vincent, and the little drop of Christ's blood.

But it is asked why no mention is made of this communion in the Nicene Creed. To this we answer that it is passed over there in silence because it is sufficiently understood through what is said there, "the catholic Church."

Likewise it is asked why no mention is made there of that article by which we believe in the transubstantiation of the bread into the true body of Christ. We answer that in the early Church this was believed so firmly that it was doubtful to no one, since Christ himself had affirmed it, saying, "This is my body." Or we can say that by "communion" is understood not only the spiritual union of the faithful but also the communion of the Lord's body and blood, which we are bound to believe, namely that the faithful ought to receive communion in the body and blood of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine. This the aforesaid article implies. This article, they say, was composed by Matthew. It was omitted in the Nicene Creed because it was sufficiently set forth in the apostolic Creed.