Sarah Mitchell
The Catholic Church holds that the understanding of scripture matures over time, yet remains identical in essence and substance. Dogma, in the context of the Catholic faith, refers to truths that are proposed or defined by the Church and must be believed with divine and Catholic faith. These truths are revealed by God and are proposed by the Church in a way that obliges Catholics to adhere to them irrevocably. Dogmas are issued by Ecumenical Councils, and Popes, who are believed to be exercising authority from Christ. The Pope's teachings are considered infallible, and truths defined by the Pope are considered dogma. The Immaculate Conception and Assumption of Mary are examples of dogmas that were infallibly defined as truths of divine revelation by Popes Pius IX and XII in 1854 and 1950, respectively.
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What You'll Learn
God's existence and nature
The existence of God is understood as an object of both rational knowledge and supernatural faith. God's nature, however, is considered incomprehensible to humans, even to those blessed in Heaven. While the blessed possess an immediate intuitive knowledge of the Divine Essence, the vision of God transcends the natural cognitive powers of the human soul.
The Catholic Church holds that the understanding of scripture is an ongoing process, maturing over time through the Holy Spirit's action in the Church's history and the faith's understanding by Christians. This process ensures that the essence and substance of the faith remain identical while deepening its interpretation.
Dogmas are not seen as new revelations but as explications of existing faith. They clarify implicit truths, making them explicit, as seen in the teachings on the Trinity by ecumenical councils. This progressive understanding within the Church is reflected in the writings of Vincent of Lérins in the 5th century, who emphasized the need for real progress without altering the core faith.
The term "dogma" itself has evolved. Originally, in Greek, it meant "opinion" or "belief." Over time, it took on additional meanings, such as "edict" or "ordinance," and was used in various contexts, including the New Testament and early Church decrees. By the time of modern theologians like Karl Rahner, dogma had become associated with specific teachings, such as the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Mary, declared by Popes as infallible truths.
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Christ's second coming
Catholicism holds that the understanding of scripture continues to deepen and mature over time through the action of the Holy Spirit. Dogmas are truths formally and explicitly revealed by God and proposed or defined by the church. The Catholic Church teaches that Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. This is known as Christ's second coming or the Second Coming.
Christians who are Catholic believe in the Second Coming. At every Sunday Mass, Catholics profess their belief that Jesus "will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end." The official teaching of the Catholic Church, from the latest catechism, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, promulgated in 1992 and upheld by Popes St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, and all bishops worldwide, is that:
> On Judgment Day at the end of the world, Christ will come in glory to achieve the definitive triumph of good over evil which, like the wheat and the tares, have grown up together in the course of history. When he comes at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, the glorious Christ will reveal the secret disposition of hearts and will render to each man according to his works, and according to his acceptance or refusal of grace.
The exact timing of the Second Coming is unknown. Jesus said, "As to the exact day or hour, no one knows it, neither the angels in heaven nor even the Son, but only the Father. Be constantly on the watch! Stay awake! You do not know when the appointed time will come" (Mk 13:32-33).
Before Christ's second coming, the Church will endure persecution, and the faith of many will grow cold, causing them to abandon the faith, even betraying and hating one another. St. Paul describes a "mass apostasy" before the Second Coming, which will be led by the "son of perdition," the "Man of Lawlessness," and the "adversary who exalts himself above every so-called god proposed for worship." However, ""the Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of His mouth and annihilate him by manifesting His own presence" (2 Thes 2:3-12).
On his second coming, Christ will judge all men, and each person will have to account for their conduct. The deepest secrets of their soul will come to light, and how well each person has responded to the prompting of God's grace will be made clear. Those who have rejected the Lord in this life, who have sinned mortally, who have no remorse for sin, and do not seek forgiveness will have condemned themselves to hell for all eternity.
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The soul and the afterlife
In Catholic theology, a dogma refers to a truth that has been infallibly defined by the Church's Magisterium as divinely revealed. The concept of dogma has two elements: the public revelation of God through sacred scripture and tradition, and the proposition of the Catholic Church, which declares it binding for the faith.
The Catholic Church teaches that the soul is immortal and that it will be judged by God after death. This judgement will determine the soul's eternal fate in Heaven or Hell. Purgatory is also a part of Catholic doctrine, serving as a place of purification for souls before they can enter Heaven.
Original sin is a key concept in Catholic dogma, referring to the state of sinfulness that humans are born into as a result of the Fall of Adam and Eve. This original sin is said to be passed down through human reproduction, affecting every person except Jesus Christ, who was born without original sin.
The afterlife is a central theme in Catholic dogma, with the belief that Christ will come again to judge all men and that the dead will rise again with their physical bodies on the last day. This judgement will determine the eternal fate of souls, with Heaven being the reward for the righteous and Hell being the place of punishment for the wicked.
The Catholic Church also recognizes the existence of angels and demons, with angels serving as messengers and protectors, and demons as fallen angels who rebelled against God.
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The Immaculate Conception
The idea of the Immaculate Conception has its roots in the early church's general acceptance of Mary's holiness, especially after she was declared to be the mother of God at the Second Council of Ephesus in 431. Most theologians doubted that someone so close to God could have experienced sinful acts. The angel Gabriel's greeting to Mary, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28), is seen as an implicit reference to the Immaculate Conception. The phrase "full of grace" in Greek indicates a permanent and unique grace that Mary enjoyed from conception onward.
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The Church's authority
The Catholic Church's authority is an essential aspect of its dogmas, which are binding truths that Catholics are obligated to adhere to irrevocably. This authority stems from Christ, who founded the Catholic Church to continue His redemptive work. Christ bestowed powers on the Apostles, which have been passed down to the Bishops, with the Apostle Peter as the first among them and the visible head of the Church.
The Church's Magisterium, led by the Pope, exercises its authority to define dogmas, which are considered infallible truths revealed by God. These dogmas are based on divine revelation and the Church's authoritative teachings. The concept of dogma has two key elements: sacred scripture and tradition, and the propositions made by the Catholic Church. The Church's teachings fall into three categories: those taught authoritatively but not infallibly, those taught infallibly, and those taught infallibly as divinely revealed, with only the third category considered dogmas.
The Pope plays a crucial role in declaring dogmas, either through an ex cathedra decision or in rare instances outside an Ecumenical Council, as seen in the Immaculate Conception of Mary in 1854 and the Assumption of Mary into heaven in 1950 by Popes Pius IX and Pius XII, respectively. Ecumenical Councils, such as the early councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon, have also issued dogmas, often formulated against specific heresies.
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Frequently asked questions
A dogma is a truth that has been infallibly defined by the Church’s Magisterium to be divinely revealed. It is something that Catholics are required to accept as an irrevocable adherence of faith.
Examples of dogmas include the Immaculate Conception and Assumption of Mary, the Holy Trinity, and the belief that Christ was free from all sin.
Dogmas are decided by the Catholic Church, either through an ex cathedra decision by a Pope or a definitive statement made by an Ecumenical Council. The Church's Magisterium asserts that it exercises authority from Christ when defining dogmas.
