Catholic Apologetics Online

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92. Are the Gospels themselves historical books or not?

They were written primarily to proclaim a religious message of salvation wrought by Christ. But this does not mean that they are religious treatises only and not also historical documents. They are both, and one must keep both aspects in mind. The mistake has often been made of approaching the…

They were written primarily to proclaim a religious message of salvation wrought by Christ. But this does not mean that they are religious treatises only and not also historical documents. They are both, and one must keep both aspects in mind. The mistake has often been made of approaching the Gospels as one approaches ordinary secular history books, expecting a disinterested factual account of persons and events as a neutral observer would have described them. But none of the Gospels was written in such a way. St. Mark's opening words are: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." Clearly, he was setting down in writing an account of how the Church presented Christ in her public proclamation of the Christian faith. In writing the fourth gospel St. John declared his purpose to be "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this faith you may have eternal life." Jn., 20:31. Secular historians do not write for such purposes which, in fact, go far beyond the motives of those intent only on the writings of plain, unvarnished, academic history as such. In reality, all four evangelists were immersed in the very life of the Church and were recording direct and first-hand evidence of the faith of the primitive Christian community, saying practically to their readers: This is what we Christians believe and what you should believe also.

Topic: "Origin of the Gospels" in Vol 5.

93. How do you escape the charge that the "Christ of Faith" has eclipsed the "Jesus of History"?

Simply by saying that the "Jesus of History" is the one to whom must be attributed all that our faith declares Him to have been. The "Christ of Faith" and the "Jesus of History" are one and the same Person. It was the "Jesus of History" who said to Peter:…

Simply by saying that the "Jesus of History" is the one to whom must be attributed all that our faith declares Him to have been. The "Christ of Faith" and the "Jesus of History" are one and the same Person. It was the "Jesus of History" who said to Peter: "Who do you say that I am?" And when Peter replied: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God", Jesus told him: "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." Matt., 16:15-17. The light of faith supplied an interpretative element inseparably linked with the real personality of Jesus in a known place and period, and in the midst of a definitely historical people. On the interpretative level where Jesus is concerned we find many different estimates. Take the ordinary historical fact of his death. The neutral Roman historian Tacitus states simply that he was executed by Pontius Pilate. The hostile Jewish Talmud says he was guilty of sorcery and of subverting Israel and so was put to death. A second-century Syrian philosopher, saying that all philosophers are persecuted, held that the Jews had killed their "wise man" Christ as the Greeks had killed Socrates. The Gospels record the same occurrence, but with the entirely different significance of a Saviour promised by God and dying for the redemption of mankind. That is the verdict of Christian faith. In the Gospels the "Christ of Faith" is the "Jesus of History" in the sense that the historical reality of the facts and teachings of Jesus provide the basis for the meaning which faith perceives in them. From this point of view, the Gospels are essentially religious books calling for a religious response from those who read them; and they awaken that response in those who do read them with proper dispositions. The Second Vatican Council, in its Decree of Divine Revelation, n.19 (November, 1965) insisted on the historical character of the Gospels, declaring that "the Church has firmly and with absolute constancy held, and continues to hold, that the four gospels, whose historical character the Church unhesitatingly asserts, faithfully hand on what Jesus Christ, while living among men, really did and taught for their salvation."

Topic: "Origin of the Gospels" in Vol 5.

452. Is it not believed that the highest power granted to priests is that of consecrating the Eucharist?

That is our Catholic conviction; for Christ gave us His Real Presence in the Eucharist to be the Church's liturgical, sacrificial offering continued through the ages, and an abiding sacramental means of grace, both for our salvation and sanctification. So the Second Vatican Council declared the Eucharist to be "the…

That is our Catholic conviction; for Christ gave us His Real Presence in the Eucharist to be the Church's liturgical, sacrificial offering continued through the ages, and an abiding sacramental means of grace, both for our salvation and sanctification. So the Second Vatican Council declared the Eucharist to be "the basis and the centre" of our lives as members of the Church.

Topic: "Liturgy and Sacraments" in Vol 5.

154. If Joel himself did not realise what he was predicting, how did St. Peter know it?

St. Peter knew that the fulfilment of all Old Testament messianic prophecies had come with Jesus, the Saviour of mankind. Moreover, Jesus had promised the apostles, in His discourse after the Last Supper, that "the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things."…

St. Peter knew that the fulfilment of all Old Testament messianic prophecies had come with Jesus, the Saviour of mankind. Moreover, Jesus had promised the apostles, in His discourse after the Last Supper, that "the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things." Jn., 14:26. Also, immediately before the ascension, He told them: "I will send the gift promised by my Father upon you; but stay in Jerusalem until you are endowed with power from on high." Lk., 24:29. In the Incarnation itself there was an intervention from on high and from outside humanity by the Eternal Son of God to fulfil the work of redemption from within humanity. In a similar way, a further intervention from on high by the Holy Spirit was necessary to enable the Church to begin her mission among humanity. When, on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the small group of assembled disciples in Jerusalem, with signs and wonders amazing and perplexing to onlooking local and visiting Jews from distant places, St. Peter had but to quote the description of the outpouring of the Spirit as predicted by Joel for all to see the fulfilment of at least that part of his prophecy in the events they had witnessed. St. Peter went on to say that the source of the gift was Jesus of Nazareth, crucified, risen from the dead, ascended into heaven, and the one hope of salvation for all prepared to believe in Him, to repent of their sins, and to be baptised in His name. This promise, he said, "is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Him." Acts, 2:41, tells us that, as a result of this first discourse of St. Peter, "there were added that day about three thousand souls" — a first contribution towards the amazing growth of the Church.

Topic: "The Divine Redeemer" in Vol 5.

158. To what is the real problem of the expansion of Christianity reduced?

To its having survived and become solidly established so rapidly and so widely long before Constantine put an end to the era of the intermittent and fierce persecutions by his Edict of Milan, 313 A.D., declaring Christianity a lawfully recognised religion. It is amazing to find St. Paul writing to…

To its having survived and become solidly established so rapidly and so widely long before Constantine put an end to the era of the intermittent and fierce persecutions by his Edict of Milan, 313 A.D., declaring Christianity a lawfully recognised religion. It is amazing to find St. Paul writing to the Christian community in Rome, early in 58 A.D., telling the Christians there of his proposed visit to them and that their faith was already proverbial wherever he went. Tertullian, writing in North Africa about 197 A.D. to the provincial governors of the Roman Empire, told them their policy of persecution was folly. The more of us whom you destroy, he wrote, the more we multiply; for the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians. What is certain is that the Church succeeded in supplanting the pagan cults with the dominant personality of Christ as the fulfilment of ancient prophecies. Against the rampant pagan philosophies, mythologies and mystery religions, the apostolic proclamation pitted, not a new philosophy, but a gospel of salvation demanding self-denial, the abandoning of evil ways, and faith in Christ "Chosen People of God," enabling them to live on the higher spiritual levels to be expected of the children of God. St. Augustine's dilemma still stands. The success of such a religion was due to accompanying miracles wrought by God, or not. If due to such miracles, it is divinely guaranteed. If not, its survival and rapid expansion themselves constitute a miracle. One bent on refusing to admit the intervention of God may, of course, merely dismiss the problem, refusing to think about it. But Gibbon, having thought and written about it, should have declared it an insoluble enigma.

Topic: "The Catholic Church" in Vol 5.

166. Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world" (Jn., 18:36), yet everyone sees the Roman Catholic Church as very much an organised institution in this world.

The kingdom of Christ is not of this world in the sense of not being of worldly origin, worldly government, and for merely worldly purposes. But Christ was born into this world and belonged to the institutional religion of the Jews, being in fact its promised Messiah, the very reason…

The kingdom of Christ is not of this world in the sense of not being of worldly origin, worldly government, and for merely worldly purposes. But Christ was born into this world and belonged to the institutional religion of the Jews, being in fact its promised Messiah, the very reason for its existence. He could not fulfil the Old Law without providing a new institutional religion in this world, forming a "New Israel" or "Chosen People of God", in direct succession to Israel of old. And He laid the foundation of His new institution by choosing twelve apostles for His "New Israel" as representing the Twelve Tribes of Israel of old, entrusting to them powers to teach, to rule, and to sanctify by sacramental means the new "People of God." The Jews in general, looking for a temporal messianic kingdom of this world, rejected Him and the spiritual yet visible kingdom He offered in the form of His Church. But some, like Holy Simeon, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, were enabled to say, blessing God, and with a great sense of peace: "My eyes have seen thy salvation . . . a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory of thy people Israel." Lk., 2:27-32. That insight is granted to those who see the Catholic Church as the "People of God", founded by Christ with a hierarchical constitution intended for the extending of God's rule in the hearts of men and for the salvation of their souls - the whole organic society or institutional assembly existing as the mystical body of Christ, the very Son of God. Such is God's kingdom on earth, in the world yet not of it, preparing for its perfect fulfilment in the eternal and heavenly glory of Christ and of all members of Christ, with whom He identifies Himself and who have identified themselves with Him.

Topic: "The Catholic Church" in Vol 5.

169. I was a Protestant, but have un-churched myself altogether. Since the Holy Spirit is the Supreme Guide and He is not guided by the Church, nor am I guided by any Church.

I do not speak for "any" Church. Discussion of differences between Churches must be reserved for questions on Ecumenism. Here it will be enough to say that no Catholic is asked to believe that the Holy Spirit is guided by'the ChurdL what tie New Testament pots before us is the…

I do not speak for "any" Church. Discussion of differences between Churches must be reserved for questions on Ecumenism. Here it will be enough to say that no Catholic is asked to believe that the Holy Spirit is guided by'the ChurdL what tie New Testament pots before us is the fact that God who in times past spoke throng the prophets, has in these days spoken to lis by His Son CHsb., 1:1-2). That Divine Son in turn established His Chord* to continue His work under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, teaching afl nations and baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Sprat (Matt., 28:19, 20j. By baptism we become members of the Church which the New Testament describes as the "body of Christ". The Christian lives as a matter of coarse in virtue of the life of the body of which he is a member. It is true that each member has his own particular needs, his own personal decisions to make in many matters, and responsibility for his own individual salvation. He cam therefore, rely upon necessary7 guidance by the Holy Spirit in his own particular case in answer to his prayers. But such guidance by the Holy Spirit is always within the context of the individual's incorporation as a member within the Church as tie mystical body of Christ; nor will t i e Holy Spirit's guidance ever be at variance with responsibilities arising from such membership. One who has rightly grasped the mind of the Holy Spirit realises that there is no place for separatist individualism where the Christian religion is concerned and that he cannot rightly claim to be guided by tie Holy Spirit into a rejection of the Church as the very means appointed by God for our guidance in His name and with His authority.

Topic: "The Catholic Church" in Vol 5.

203. Does the Church hold that God's Law itself forbids all reading which is likely to undermine one's faith or morals?

We exclude those with an official duty to check doubtful books. The Church therefore declares that all unnecessary reading (or listening to or seeing in these days of radio and films) with a definite sense of danger to one's faith or morals is clearly opposed to the manifested Will of…

We exclude those with an official duty to check doubtful books. The Church therefore declares that all unnecessary reading (or listening to or seeing in these days of radio and films) with a definite sense of danger to one's faith or morals is clearly opposed to the manifested Will of God. Holy Scripture itself warns that he who loves the danger will perish therein (Ecclus., 3:27). Our Lord bade us pray: "Lead us not into temptation." Deliberately exposing oneself to influences calculated to undermine one's faith or morals ranks as voluntarily entering into an occasion of sin. St. John warns us as regards faith: "If any man come to you and brings not this doctrine, receive him not into your house." 2 Jn., 10. That certainly forbids the reception into our minds of the teachings of those who are bent on destroying our Christian convictions. As for morals, thoughts prepare the way for conduct, and what one thinks is conditioned to a great extent by what one reads. St. Paul wrote to the Philippians: "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever modest, whatsoever just, whatsoever holy, whatsoever of good repute . . . think on those things" (Phil., 4:8). To the Ephesians he wrote, saying of immorality, obscenity and scurrility: "Let not such things be so much as named among you . . . for because of those things comes the anger of God upon the children of unbelief" (Eph., 5:4-6). The law of the Catholic Church still declares prohibited for all Catholics books known to be written for the express purpose of attacking the Catholic religion, or books which every normal Christian judgment would regard as immoral and obscene. We cannot expect the censorship laws of modern secularised States to coincide with those of the Catholic Church in this matter. Secular States have no sense of mission to uphold the Christian religion nor to interest themselves in the salvation of souls; and in the permissive societies secular governments tolerate Catholics cannot accept everything that others around them may regard as permissible. In matters of faith and morals they are obliged to be true to their own consciences, formed under the guidance of the authoritative teachings and rulings of the Catholic Church, the ultimate purposes of which are, not to curtail the freedom of her members, but to preserve for them that true spiritual freedom from evil "wherewith Christ has made us free." (Gal., 4:31).

Topic: "The Catholic Church" in Vol 5.

208. If celibacy is a Church-made law, could not the Church abolish it?

The Church could do so, but is not likely to do so. On June 26, 1960, two years before the Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII told the Synod of the Diocese of Rome that it was sheer folly to imagine that the Catholic Church might possibly abandon what has for…

The Church could do so, but is not likely to do so. On June 26, 1960, two years before the Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII told the Synod of the Diocese of Rome that it was sheer folly to imagine that the Catholic Church might possibly abandon what has for centuries upon centuries been one of the noblest glories of her priesthood; and he said that the heroic challenge of the ecclesiastical law of celibacy would ever be maintained. In the December of that same year, Etienne Gilson, the French Catholic philosopher, mentioned the subject to Pope John during a personal interview and reported the Pope as saying: "Ecclesiastical celibacy is not a dogma. It is not imposed in the Scriptures. How simple it would be: I take up a pen, sign an act, and priests who so desire can marry tomorrow. But this is impossible. Celibacy is a sacrifice which the Church has imposed upon herself - freely, generously, heroically." On June 24, 1967, Pope Paul VI issued an Encyclical on "The Celibacy of the Priesthood," in which he reaffirmed the law, declaring its binding force for all ordained to the priesthood. He said that the reasons for retaining the law far outweighed any in favour of abolishing it, and that the world needs more than ever today this witness to the highest and most sacred spiritual values. The priest, so closely associated with Christ at the altar, reflects our Lord's own supreme self-giving to the glorification of His heavenly Father and to the salvation of souls. The Catholic faithful in turn, moved to great reverence for their priests, realise that in urging them to a life of self-denial, they are not urging them to what in a special way they have not undertaken in their own lives. Moreover, unmarried priests can work more effectively wherever they may be sent and however difficult the circumstances, expending themselves without imposing on wife and children the inconveniences and often hardships their vocation frequently involves.

Topic: "The Catholic Church" in Vol 5.

220. We are frequently reminded, even by Catholic writers, that this is "the day of the laity."

Rightly understood - which is not always the case - there is a sense in which that is true. As the French writer Jean Guitton, a lay auditor at the Vatican Council, has said, secularism today threatens to spread over the face of the earth and create a civilisation without…

Rightly understood - which is not always the case - there is a sense in which that is true. As the French writer Jean Guitton, a lay auditor at the Vatican Council, has said, secularism today threatens to spread over the face of the earth and create a civilisation without God; and the Church needs to mobilise all her sons, making them realise their dignity and mission. Aware of this, the Vatican Council in its "Decree on the Constitution of the Church", having declared in n.25 that the bishops are the authentic teachers of what must be believed and practised in the Church, continues from n.30 onwards that the laity form an integral part of the People of God; that by baptism they become members of the Mystical Body of Christ and sharers in His priestly, prophetic and kingly functions; that their priestly duty in the world is to offer God the spiritual sacrifice of their praise and work; their prophetic duty to proclaim Christ's message of salvation by their own profession of faith and the social example of their lives; and that their royal dominion over the forces of evil is to be exercised by fidelity to conscience as Christians in all their activities. By doing this, in the words of Jean Guitton, they will not lose their souls in the world but will rather, as men among men, take the world and give it a soul.

Topic: "The Catholic Church" in Vol 5.

233. When did the Catholic axiom originate that "Outside the Church there is no Salvation," and on what is it based?

It is based on the doctrine of the Church as contained in the New Testament. Christ had said: "I will build my Church" - not "my Churches"; and: "If a man will not hear the Church, let him be as the heathen." St. Paul had insisted that there must be…

It is based on the doctrine of the Church as contained in the New Testament. Christ had said: "I will build my Church" - not "my Churches"; and: "If a man will not hear the Church, let him be as the heathen." St. Paul had insisted that there must be "one Lord, one faith, one baptism"; and had warned the Corinthians: "Let there be no schisms" It was to those who were already Christians in the Catholic sense of the word that the early Christian Fathers issued the warnings that one cannot have God for his Father who has not the Church as his mother, and that one can no more be saved outside the Church than, during the Flood, those could be saved who were outside the Ark of Noah. The precise dictum: "Outside the Church there is no Salvation" first appeared in the writings of Origen (185-254), in a discourse on being "in the boat with Jesus." Throughout the course of history, however, we know that certain individuals or even groups did abandon the Catholic Church, establishing separate religious denominations of their own; and as time went on there arose later generations of good people, still professing to be Christians, but who in all sincerity inherited non-Catholic positions not of their own making. Catholics, therefore, to the original axiom "Outside the Church there is no Salvation", add the qualifying clause: "provided their being outside the Church is through no fault of their own."

Topic: "The Catholic Church" in Vol 5.

234. Can the axiom he said to apply only to baptised Catholics who have deliberately cut themselves off from the Catholic Church?

In general, the distinction is between those who are outside the Catholic Church through their own fault, and those who are outside it through no fault of their own. The axiom does not apply to the latter class. As regards the former class, it could apply to those who have…

In general, the distinction is between those who are outside the Catholic Church through their own fault, and those who are outside it through no fault of their own. The axiom does not apply to the latter class. As regards the former class, it could apply to those who have been well-instructed Catholics but who, by their own deliberate choice, have abandoned their faith; or it could apply to those who have never been Catholics but who, having become convinced of the truth of the Catholic Church, have refused to obey their conscience and join it; or who, having adverted for good reasons to the possibility that it might be true, have refused to inquire further for fear that they might actually become convinced and converted - a step which, for motives of convenience under one form or another they want to avoid. Obviously, such people are not in good faith. Forfeiture of salvation always supposes, of course, that such people die without having received and corresponded with the grace of final repentance.

Topic: "The Catholic Church" in Vol 5.

235. What is your own attitude on this matter?

I hold simply that no one outside the Catholic Church through his own fault can be saved. But in these days of divided Christendom one has to stress "through his own fault." When I see a good Protestant, obviously sincere and living a most edifying life, I say to myself:…

I hold simply that no one outside the Catholic Church through his own fault can be saved. But in these days of divided Christendom one has to stress "through his own fault." When I see a good Protestant, obviously sincere and living a most edifying life, I say to myself: "It is certainly no fault of his that he is not a Catholic." And I often feel that I will be very fortunate if I attain, not only to heaven, but to as high a place there as he will have. At the same time, since Our Lord thought it necessary to establish, commission and guarantee the Catholic Church, it must be necessary to belong to it if one realises the obligation of doing so. There are, then, two extremes to be avoided. We must not so stress the possibility of salvation outside the Catholic Church as to suggest that there is no necessity to belong to it; nor must we so stress the necessity of belonging to the Catholic Church as to exclude all hope of salvation for good non-Catholics. So I have to say to sincere Protestants: "You can be saved because you are in good faith and so excused from the obligation of joining the Catholic Church." But from the Church's point of view I would have to say: "It is necessary to join the Catholic Church and you cannot be saved if you are in bad faith and it is through your own fault that you do not belong to it." (Incidentally, the convinced Protestant, who holds, with Acts, 4:12, that "there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved," would have to adopt that same attitude towards a good Muslim or a good Buddhist as regards at least an acceptance of faith in Jesus Christ).

Topic: "The Catholic Church" in Vol 5.

238. What does the Church hold as regards the fate of pagans who never had the chance of receiving Christian baptism?

According to Catholic teaching, it is possible for them, as human beings endowed with freewill, to save their souls or to lose their souls. Since God wills all men to be saved, He must grant to every man, even a pagan, enough grace to enable him to save his soul.…

According to Catholic teaching, it is possible for them, as human beings endowed with freewill, to save their souls or to lose their souls. Since God wills all men to be saved, He must grant to every man, even a pagan, enough grace to enable him to save his soul. If a pagan corresponds with the inspirations of grace given to him, enlightening his mind, attracting his heart and inclining his will in a right direction, he will arrive before death takes him from this world at faith in God and sufficient sorrow for his sins to save his soul by what we call "baptism of desire." This means that such a man, having the will to do God's will, would ask to be baptised if he knew baptism to be necessary and if there were someone at hand who could baptise him. God takes the will for the deed in such a case and directly grants to the soul the grace necessary for salvation which is normally given to believers by means of the Sacrament of Baptism.

Topic: "The Catholic Church" in Vol 5.

275. This prompts my comment that you have admitted there have been bad Popes in the past, with special reference to Alexander VI.

Alexander VI, the "Borgia Pope", held office over 400 years ago, during what is known as the Renaissance period of history, from 1409 till 1503. I declared his personal life in many ways disgraceful and quite incongruous with his office, however successful an administrator he may have been, as undoubtedly…

Alexander VI, the "Borgia Pope", held office over 400 years ago, during what is known as the Renaissance period of history, from 1409 till 1503. I declared his personal life in many ways disgraceful and quite incongruous with his office, however successful an administrator he may have been, as undoubtedly he was. But I pointed out, firstly, that Popes, like all other men, have to work out their own salvation. To be elected as a Pope is not to get a through ticket to heaven, but only to have one's responsibilities before God immeasurably increased. Christ Himself said: "Unto whom much is given, of him much shall be required." Lk., 12:48. If Alexander VI led an evil life personally, one can only hope that he repented before he died; otherwise he will have lost his soul. Meantime, the Catholic Church not only does not bid us imitate anyone's vices, no matter who he is. She forbids us to do so. Secondly, all the Popes throughout the centuries have professed the same religion and held the same office; yet out of the 262 Popes over eighty of them have been canonised as saints because of their having died as martyrs for the faith or because of their outstanding virtue and holiness. Thirdly, the proportion of Popes who have been really unworthy of their office works out at about one in forty, whereas the proportion of failures among the apostles chosen by Christ Himself was one in twelve. Fourthly, unworthy Popes in past ages are no argument against the truth of the Catholic Church but, if anything, prove the Holy Spirit's protection of her, not only despite external adversities, but despite even such a disaster within as an unworthy man succeeding to the office of St. Peter as head of the Church on earth.

Topic: "The Papacy" in Vol 5.

284. I firmly believe in the Catholic religion, but not in the Church's teachings on a number of things, nor that it is being a good Catholic to follow everything blindly.

Much in that declaration needs sorting out. Firstly, one who firmly believes in the Catholic religion believes that the Catholic Church was founded, commissioned and guaranteed by Christ our Lord to preserve and proclaim to mankind the true religion which He had taught the Apostles. Secondly, having come to the…

Much in that declaration needs sorting out. Firstly, one who firmly believes in the Catholic religion believes that the Catholic Church was founded, commissioned and guaranteed by Christ our Lord to preserve and proclaim to mankind the true religion which He had taught the Apostles. Secondly, having come to the use of reason, we are expected to use it by checking the grounds for our faith in Christ according to His life, character and work; and also for our faith in the Catholic Church as that one historical religious society which has come down to us continuously from the time of the Apostles, which is truly Catholic or for all men regardless of racial or national differences, and which so aims at the salvation and sanctification of her members that those of her members who have fully lived up to her teachings and directives have in fact become Saints. Thirdly, granted such reasonable justification for having faith in the Catholic religion, we accept on faith whatever the Catholic Church officially teaches as essential to it; and we willingly fulfil those duties which the Church with the authority Christ gave her imposes upon us. Fourthly, the infallibility of the Church can be considered directly or indirectly. Directly, it pertains to the essentials of divinely-revealed truths, whether in solemnly proclaiming this or that doctrine as a necessary part of our faith or in condemning a doctrine as opposed to it. Indirectly, infallibility at least preserves the Church from officially approving of beliefs and practices calculated to undermine the faith. Directly and positively infallible teachings we accept, not blindly, but in a spirit of faith in Christ with due humility and obedience on our part. But it is necessary to note that, besides the area of essential beliefs and practices, there in a large area - much larger than most people imagine - of opinions more or less probable in biblical and theological matters, and of pious practices permitted but not imposed, in which Catholics are free to follow what they feel to be their own reasonable preferences. As you do not say on what things you disagree with the Church's teachings, I am not able to discuss the nature and gravity of the teachings involved, nor how your dispositions fit in with the firm belief you profess in the Catholic religion.

Topic: "The Papacy" in Vol 5.

296. Does not Catholicism teach, not only that the Church as such is infallible, but also that Divine Truth is revealed to the Pope as an individual?

Here we turn from the doctrine of Papal Supremacy in the Church to that of Papal Infallibility. Rightly you refer to the infallibility of the Church, for it is the infallibility of the Church which becomes operative on certain occasions in official decisions of the Pope himself as head of…

Here we turn from the doctrine of Papal Supremacy in the Church to that of Papal Infallibility. Rightly you refer to the infallibility of the Church, for it is the infallibility of the Church which becomes operative on certain occasions in official decisions of the Pope himself as head of the Church and intended to be binding upon all members of the Church. Papal Infallibility, however, does not mean that any special revelations are granted to the Pope. God has revealed Himself and His purposes in word and deed as recorded in the Old and New Testaments, that is, through the history and the prophets of Israel as well as through Christ and His Apostles. We see God at work, for example, in the call of Abraham, in the liberation of Israel from Egypt to be His Chosen People, in the long series of Israel's prophets, and in the greatest act of all for which these prepared the way, His own breaking through into human history in the Person of His Eternal Son. That Divine Son, under the name of Jesus Christ, lived and died for the salvation of mankind, and rose again from the dead, having founded a new community or new "People of God" on earth, known as His Church. To His Church, in the persons of the Apostles, Christ who accomplished the work of our salvation entrusted the duty of teaching all nations whatsoever He had taught (Matt., 28:30). The Pope, as successor of St. Peter and Christ's chief representative in the Church, is infallible only in the sense that the Holy Spirit safeguards him against officially teaching as an essential part of the Christian religion anything not in accordance with the Truth as contained in Holy Scripture and in the divinely-safeguarded traditional teachings derived from Christ and the Apostles.

Topic: "The Papacy" in Vol 5.

297. Revelations to the Pope instead of to all human beings individually are opposed to belief in a merciful God.

The infallibility of the Pope means, not that he receives revelations, but that he, for the sake of the whole Church, is divinely preserved from officially teaching as part of the Faith what is in fact opposed to the Truth God has revealed. And such protection of the Pope against…

The infallibility of the Pope means, not that he receives revelations, but that he, for the sake of the whole Church, is divinely preserved from officially teaching as part of the Faith what is in fact opposed to the Truth God has revealed. And such protection of the Pope against leading the whole Church astray is in itself a great mercy. As for the way in which God's mercy provides for the salvation of mankind, whether by His actions in history or by revealing a knowledge of His designs, it is not for us to tell Him what He should or should not do. It is for us to accept what He has chosen to do and adjust ourselves to that. As regards His mercy, the great redemptive act of Christ on Calvary affects all mankind, providing all, both before and after it, with graces or helps at least sufficient for salvation right through history, even for those who through no fault of their own have not known of it. As a result, no one can be lost except by his own deliberate rejection of God, whose mercy is available to all who seek it. Knowledge of ways and means provided by God and an insight into His purposes is another matter. The whole human race does not exist simultaneously. Generations progressively follow generations; and God's plan has been progressively manifested. With the coming of Christ as the Redeemer, the mission of preserving and propagating a knowledge of the Truth was entrusted to the Apostles and the Church Christ founded upon them. Faith in the authoritative teachings of His Church is the means appointed by Christ for our knowledge of the Truth; and one who knows yet rejects this will be responsible to God for having been without the Truth and for not having lived in accordance with it.

Topic: "The Papacy" in Vol 5.

320. Can you provide grounds for believing in the handing on of such apostolic traditions?

There is little difficulty in doing so. Christ Himself wrote no books. He founded His Church on the Apostles, trained them personally, and sent them to teach all nations whatsoever He had made known to them. From the very beginning, the "Apostolic Preaching" constituted the Tradition to be handed on…

There is little difficulty in doing so. Christ Himself wrote no books. He founded His Church on the Apostles, trained them personally, and sent them to teach all nations whatsoever He had made known to them. From the very beginning, the "Apostolic Preaching" constituted the Tradition to be handed on in the Church. Twenty years elapsed before the first of the writings in the New Testament appeared, and those were not the Gospels, but the Epistles of St. Paul. In his Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, written about 52 A.D., St. Paul wrote: "Stand fast and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word or by our epistle." 2 Thess., 2:14. To provide for the handing on of the traditions he wrote to Timothy: "The things which you have heard of me by many witnesses, the same commend to faithful men who shall be fit to teach others also." 2 Tim., 2:2. In an earlier letter to Timothy he had written: "Know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the Living God, the pillar and mainstay of truth." I Tim., 3:15. The admonition of Jude, 3: "Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," refers therefore to that traditional body of doctrine committed to the care of the Catholic Church by Christ and the Apostles. In its completed document on "Revelation", then, the Second Vatican Council declared, in n.9, "The Church does not derive through scripture alone her certitude about all that has been revealed;" and in n.10 added that "sacred tradition, sacred scripture and the teaching-authority of the Church are so linked that one cannot stand without the others. All, each in its own way, under the action of the Holy Spirit, contribute effectively to the salvation of souls."

Topic: "The Biblical Tradition" in Vol 5.

325. Why is there so much in the Bible that is obscure and difficult to understand?

It would be strange if such were not the case. The Bible is a collection of different books written at different times by different authors in Hebrew or Aramaic or Greek, and dating, as we have it, from between 1000 B.C. to 100 A.D. In the words of the Anglican…

It would be strange if such were not the case. The Bible is a collection of different books written at different times by different authors in Hebrew or Aramaic or Greek, and dating, as we have it, from between 1000 B.C. to 100 A.D. In the words of the Anglican biblical scholar Dr. Lowther Clarke: "To understand the Bible thoroughly one needs an equipment of wide and varied knowledge compared with which that needed by, say, a Shakespearean scholar is modest." But that is from the viewpoint of scholastic attainments and quite apart from the insight of faith and the enligthening of the Holy Spirit which enable the Church to grasp clearly and to teach with certainty at least the essential message of salvation contained in the Bible's various books.

Topic: "The Biblical Tradition" in Vol 5.

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"The hardest thing to find in the world today is an argument. Because so few are thinking, naturally there are found but few to argue. Prejudice there is in abundance and sentiment too, for these things are born of enthusiasms without the pain of labour. Thinking, on the contrary, is a difficult task; it is the hardest work a man can do - that is perhaps why so few indulge in it."
- Mgsr Fulton Sheen in Preface to Vol 3 (1942)

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