Summa Theologiae Moralis, vol. I: De Principiis

S. Th. II-II, q. 1, a. 8, 9, 10.

685. Principle I. The Church infallibly proposes the object of faith. — So that those things which are truly and really in revealed doctrine may be made known to all, Christ instituted the Church, which might be recognized by all as its own, and which would be the authentic organ for infallibly proposing all things which are to be believed with divine and Catholic faith as divinely revealed (Vat. Counc., sess. 3, c. 3 ; Codex Iuris, can. 1322, § 1).

Moreover, there is a twofold manner in which the Church uses in infallibly proposing or defining the truths of faith : one extraordinary and solemn, which she employs in the definitions of Ecumenical Councils and of the Holy Pontiff speaking ex cathedra ; the other ordinary and daily, which the Church spread throughout the world employs, inasmuch as by ordinary and universal magisterium, i.e. by the daily and universal preaching and doctrine of the Holy Pontiff and the bishops, she proposes certain truths as revealed and defines them to be believed (cf. treatise on the Church ; Vat. Counc., l.c. ; Codex Iuris, can. 1323).

686. Principle II. The Church is infallible not only in defining the object of faith itself but also connected truths and facts, and proposes sacred doctrine in various degrees. — The Church is infallible not only in defining revealed doctrine itself ; to protect it perfectly she also infallibly proposes truths (and facts) necessarily connected with it insofar as they are connected ; although she does not command these to be believed with divine faith ; — moreover she does not always define revealed truths themselves from the very beginning as revealed and to be believed, but sometimes as certain and true, or only as safe and to be held. Hence sacred doctrine can be proposed in various degrees : 1° Defined and to be believed by faith, or a dogma of faith, when the Church infallibly and explicitly proposes it as revealed and to be believed ; to this is directly opposed a heretical proposition.

2° Certain, when the Church only proposes or defines it as certain ; to this is directly opposed an erroneous doctrine. Doctrina certa

a) either certain by faith, if it be revealed ; and to this is opposed error in faith or in revealed doctrine ;

b) or theologically certain, if it is not revealed but is deduced from something revealed ; and to this is opposed theological error.

3° Common and safe, if it is admitted by all and held as the only one conformed to revelation, but not proposed as certain ; to this is directly opposed a temerarious proposition ;

4° Probable or more probable, when it is likely, i.e. there is a grave or more grave reason for judging that it is revealed or deduced from revelation ; and to this is opposed a less probable or improbable opinion.

By some a certain doctrine is sometimes called proximate to faith (to which is opposed proximate to heresy), when namely it is already so commonly and certainly proposed as revealed that it is proximately definable as a dogma of faith, e.g. the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V. in the state immediately before the definition ; — or even, according to others, when it has been declared by the Church at least as certain, but it is doubtful whether it is of defined faith.

687. Principle III. The Church is also infallible in condemning and rejecting propositions opposed to the doctrine of faith. — The Church teaches not only positively, by proposing or commending doctrine on account of its conformity with the doctrine of faith ; but also negatively, by condemning or censuring it on account of some opposition to the doctrine of faith. Propositions, moreover, are opposed to the doctrine of faith in various ways :

A. Some are opposed directly because of the very doctrine asserted :

1° A heretical proposition, which is directly opposed (contrarily or contradictorily) to defined revealed doctrine, e.g. Christ is not the Son of God, the soul is not immortal, etc. ;

2° Erroneous, which is directly and immediately opposed to certain doctrine, whether it is revealed, proposed by the Church not as revealed but as certain, and then it is error in faith, e.g. Christ does not have grace ; or it is deduced from what is revealed, and then it is theological error, e.g. Christ is not impeccable ; the Son does not proceed from the Father by way of intellect.

3° Temerarious, not only negatively because it affirms without any reason and authority, but positively and contrarily because it so affirms directly against the common and safe doctrine which is admitted by all as the only one conformed to revelation (though not by necessary connection), e.g. the Church is not infallible in the canonization of saints ; God does not wish to save all children.

4° Improbable which has no grave reasons in its favor, and is directly opposed to probable doctrine, e.g. S. Joseph was immaculately conceived.

To these may be added a proposition proximate to heresy, in the way that was explained in the preceding n°.

B. Others are opposed to the very expression of Catholic doctrine, because of the form of the assertion :

1° Smacking of heresy is a proposition, or one suspected of heresy, which can have a true sense, but nevertheless from the circumstances gives occasion for thinking or suspecting some heresy in the mind of the one enunciating it, e.g. faith justifies ; it is ridiculous to carry the Eucharist in procession ; Christ is less than the Father ; Christ is the most perfect man.

2° Smacking of error or suspected of error : e.g. the Congr. of the Index is harmful.

3° Sounding badly, which has a true sense, but unfitting words, inasmuch as it expresses doctrine against the common and ordinary manner of speaking, e.g. in God there are three relative essences ; the B.V. is a divine mother.

4° Offensive to pious ears, which although it is neither false nor sounding badly, nevertheless says something unbecoming and unworthy, which diminishes the piety and reverence of the faithful, e.g. a proposition explaining the shameful members of Christ, or speaking unbecomingly of the delivery of the B.V., or this : S. Mary Magdalene, harlot, pray for us.

688. Principle IV. The Church uses the Creed as a practical way of proposing faith by ordinary and universal magisterium. — This Greek word signifies both a collection, or the assembling of many, and also a token, a distinctive sign, a watchword. Rightly, therefore, the brief collection or sum of the articles of faith, which is proposed to all to be believed as the sign of their profession, was so called. Now the creeds were composed for three purposes : chiefly a) that by the profession of the creed the faithful might be distinguished from infidels and heretics ; likewise b) for the easier instruction of the faithful ; and c) that uniformity in faith might be preserved throughout the whole world.

There are three creeds of great renown in the Church, of which one explains another, and explicitly, more distinctly, and more fully, expounds the same doctrine according to the necessities of different times, and against various errors, so that the faithful might be fortified against them :

The first, of the Apostles¹], which is divided by some into 14, by others into 12, articles, the latter division having become common among the faithful, and having been preserved in the Catechism of the Council of Trent.

The second, of the Fathers, which was drawn up in the First Council of Nicaea, but was enlarged in the First Council of Constantinople and in the course of time.

The third is called that of S. Athanasius, because they once erroneously thought it had been drawn up by him²]; it is not a creed except insofar as it has been received by the authority of the Roman Pontiff.