Salvación. Vademecum Church Fathers

8/13/2019 Salvacin. Vademecum Church Fathers

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The Witness of the Church Fathers WithRegard to Catholic Distinctives

With Examples of Protestant Corroboration of Catholic Doctrines orClear Contradiction of Patristic Consensus--- Copiously Documented with 315 Footnotes ---

TABE !F C!"TE"T# $%&per'lin(ed)

I. History of the Doctrines of Tradition and ScriptureII. History of the Doctrine of Justification

III. History of the Idea of Development of DoctrineIV. History of the Doctrine of the Eucharist

V. History of the Doctrine of the Sacrifice of the MassVI. History of the Doctrine of the Communion of Saints

VII. History of the Doctrine of PuratoryVIII. History of the Doctrine of Penance

I!. History of Marioloy!. The Early Church and the "ishop of #ome

Note: Every 20th footnote will be hyper-linked (20, 40, 160, 280, etc.

*+ %istor& of the Doctrines of Tradition and #cripture,an& prominent Protestant scholars and historians agree that- for the earl& Church- #cripture andTradition freel& coexisted and .ere not in the least mutuall& exclusive+ $/) While the earl& ChurchFathers constantl& assert the supreme authorit& of the Bible- the& do not oppose the #criptures tothe Church- .hich had for them a necessar& practical priorit&+ *n this .a& the& are much nearer in

spirit to the continuous Catholic vie. than to the classic Protestant outloo(+ Protestant polemiciststend to impose upon the earl& Church categories of thought .hich have onl& been prevalent fromthe 01th centur& to the present time+ This is a common error- since ever&one has their

preconceived notions .hich the& .ould li(e to see substantiated+*n the late first centur&- the Didachespea(s of Tradition as something 2received-2 reflecting thebiblical language of #t+ Paul+ $0)*n the second centur& #t+ Pol&carp $3) and #t+ *renaeus $4) reiterate this teaching more explicitl&-and spea( of apostolic succession+Tertullian $5) and #t+ %ippol&tus $6) expand upon this understanding in the earl& third centur&+ And!rigen states-

That alone is to be believed as the truth .hich is in no .a& at variance .ith ecclesiastical

and Apostolic Tradition+ $1)

*n the fourth centur&- #t+ Basil the 7reat- $8) #t+ 7regor& of "&ssa- $9) and #t+ Epiphanius informus that dogmas of the Church are received both from .ritten and oral sources- or the 2tradition ofthe Apostles-2 and that- as in #t+ Epiphanius: .ords- 2not ever&thing can be gotten from #acred#cripture+2 $;)*n the earl& fifth centur&- #t+


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+ + + there .as much also that .as not .ritten+ i(e that .hich is .ritten- the un.ritten toois .orth& of belief+ #o let us regard the Tradition of the Church also as .orth& of belief+$0/)

*n the same period- #t+ Augustine ' the greatest of all the Fathers and highl& regarded b& uther-

Calvin and most Protestants ' clearl& teaches that there exists a Tradition of the Church .hich isextrascriptural $00) and- in some cases- not even &et dealt .ith in ecumenical Councils+ $03) Forexample- he mentions the rebaptism of heretics and schismatics as a practice .hich is contrar& toapostolic Tradition- even though the matter had not been .ritten about+ %e opposes rebaptism$over against the Donatist heres&) because it is not in accordance .ith the practice 2(ept b& the.hole Church ever&.here and handed do.n b& the Apostles themselves+2 $04) Thus- for #t+Augustine- the authorit& of the Church- derived from apostolic Tradition- is normative and final+This is exactl& the opposite of the Protestant vie.- .hich regards #cripture as someho. the finalarbiter$even though it still has to be interpretedb& someone authoritativel&)+#t+ >incent of erins- .riting c+545- soon after #t+ Augustine:s death- ma(es the same point aboutthe necessit& of Church authorit& and interpretation- since-

+ + + ?uite plainl&- #acred #cripture- b& reason of its o.n depth- is not accepted b& ever&oneas having one and the same meaning + + + it can almost appear as if there are as man& opinionsas there are men+ $05)

Thus- all the essential components of the Catholic vie. of #cripture and Tradition are in place.ithin the first 5// &ears of the Church:s existence- and this .as the unanimous Christian vie.until the time of the rise of Protestantism in the 01th centur&+ The constant Catholic teaching .asstrongl& reaffirmed and presented even more explicitl& in the Council of Trent in 0651 $06) and the#econd >atican Council in 0;16+ $01),artin uther- .ho essentiall& originated the notion of sola #criptura- did so some.hat reluctantl&and graduall&- as dictated b& unfortunate circumstances $vie.ed from his perspective)+ *n his

examination at Augsburg in !ctober- 0609 he placed the Bible $that is- hisinterpretation of it)above the pope- but still admitted the e?ual authorit& of Councils+ *n the eip@ig Disputation .ithCatholic apologist


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i(e.ise-


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are -aken *romDogmatic Canons and Decrees, Ro'k*ord, I: 8 ooks > "/b#is&ers, 1977 ori(. 1912.16. ;o(ma-i' %ons-i-/-ion on ivine Reve#a-ion,; 8ov. 14, 196+.

17. 5rom: Grisar, Har-mann,$uther, -r. E.M. amond, ed. /i(i %appade#-a, 6 vo#/mes, ondon: ?e(an "a/#,

ren'&, r/bner > %o., 1917, vo#. , 391392! =on Mens'&en #eren -@/ meden, 1+22.

14. %a#vin,!nstitutes of the Christian %eligion, 1++9 ed., ook I, '&. 6, se'. 1, emp&asis added -&is is -&e -i-#e o* -&e

se'-ion. 5rom -r. o* 5ord . a--#es, ed. $o&n . M'8ei##, "&i#ade#p&ia: es-mins-er "ress, -Ao vo#/mes, 1960, vo#.1, 69.

19.!"id., ook I, '&. 7, se'. +. a--#esBM'8ei##, i"id., vo#. 1, 4041! emp&asis added.

20.


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This utterl& contradicts Calvinism:s Perseverance of the #aints as .ell as *rresistible 7race+ #t+Augustine .as no Protestant- and most assuredl& not a CalvinistThe #econd Council of !range in 63; $54) condemned the heresies of Pelagianism and #emi'Pelagianism $.hich #t+ Augustine had alread& done a centur& earlier)+ Pelagianism denied !riginal #in

and regarded grace as .ithin man:s natural capacities+ #emi'Pelagianism made man primaril&responsible for his o.n salvation and denigrated the necessit& of 7od:s enabling grace+ The Councilmade man& binding definitions of grace and salvation .hich ma& be ?uite surprising to man&Protestants- .ho are .ont to accuse the Catholic Church of the same heresies .hich itanathemati@ed fourteen centuries ago+ The Catholic Church full& agrees .ith %ol& #cripture thatfaith- the subective condition of ustification- is a gift of 7od $Ephesians 3=9 ff+-


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Canon XXVII= *f an&one saith that there is no mortal sin but that of infidelit& $unbelief) or thatgrace once received is not lost b& an& other sin- ho.ever grievous and enormous- save b& that ofinfidelit& let him be anathema+Canon XXX= *f an&one saith that- after the grace of ustification has been received- to ever&

penitent sinner the guilt is remitted- and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such .isethat there remains not an& debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this .orld- or inthe next in Purgator&- before the entrance to the ingdom of %eaven can be opened $to him) lethim be anathema+,artin uther exhibited unorthodox tendencies as earl& as his Commentar& on Romans$0601)-.here he .rote that even .hen .e 2do good- .e sin- Gbene operando peccamusin atinH but Christcovers over .hat is .anting and does not impute it+2 %e denies merit and the existence of venial sin+For uther- all sins- even the smallest- are mortal+ %e even goes so far as to sa& that those .hodetermine that the& are predestined to hell should resign themselves to their fate- since it is 7od:s.ill ' this (no.ledge being a source of 2ineffable o&+2 Even


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libert& .here.ith Christ has made us free- and .herein .e stand- the home of our o.nthoughts- the prison of our o.n sensations- the province of selfI + + + "o .onder that .herethe thought of self obscures the thought of 7od- pra&er and praise languish- and onl&preaching flourishes + + + To loo( at Christ is to be ustified b& faith to thin( of being

ustified b& faith is to loo( from Christ and to fall from grace + + + GutherH found Christiansin bondage to their .or(s and observances he released them b& his doctrine of faith andhe left them in bondage to their feelings + + + Whereas he preached against reliance on self-he introduced it in a more subtle shape .hereas he professed to ma(e the .ritten .ord allin all- he sacrificed it in its length and breadth to the doctrine .hich he had .rested from afe. texts+ $60)

FOOTNOTES (!usti"ication21. 1s- %#emen- -o -&e %orin-&ians, 30:3, 31:2, 32:3, 33:12,7, 3:13. 5rom i(&-*oo-, $osep& . > $.R. Harmer,

-r., The Apostolic Fathers, 2nd ed., ed. > rev. b Mi'&ae# . Ho#mes, Grand Rapids, MI: aker ook Ho/se, 1949

1s- ed. 1491, +.

22. e--er -o "o#'arp, 6,2. 5rom $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 26.23.First Apology, 3. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, +3.

2.Dialogue (ith Trypho the )e', 11. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 6263.2+. o /-o#'/s, 1,1.

26.Against Heresies, ,37,7.

27.%epentance, 2,11C 6,.

24. The !nstructor of Children, 1,6,26,12. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 174.

29.Miscellanies


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FIn O--, /dAi(,Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, -r. "a-ri'k n'&, Ro'k*ord, I: 8 ooks and"/b#is&ers, 197 Fori(. 19+2 in German, 230.

!"non 6: I* anone sas -&a- God &as mer' on /s A&en, Ai-&o/- &is (ra'e, Ae be#ieve, Ai##, desire, s-rive,Aork, Aa-'&, s-/d, ask, seek, kno'k, and does no- 'on*ess -&a- Ae be#ieve, Ai##, and are enab#ed -o do a##

-&is in -&e Aa Ae o/(&-, b -&e in*/sion and inspira-ion o* -&e Ho#


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8o one, moreover, so #on( as &e is in -&is mor-a# #i*e, o/(&- so *ar -o pres/me as re(ards -&e se're- ms-ero* divine predes-ina-ion as -o de-ermine *or 'er-ain -&a- &e is ass/red# in -&e n/mber o* -&e predes-ina-e! as

i* i- Aere -r/e -&a- &e -&a- is C/s-i*ied ei-&er 'anno- sin an more, or, i* &e do sin, -&a- &e o/(&- -o promise

&imse#* an ass/red repen-an'e! *or eK'ep- b spe'ia# reve#a-ion i- 'anno- be knoAn A&om God &a-& '&osen

/n-o Himse#*.

. . . I- is -o be main-ained -&a- -&e re'eived (ra'e o* C/s-i*i'a-ion is #os- no- on# b in*ide#i-, A&ereb even

*ai-& i-se#* is #os-, b/- a#so b an o-&er mor-a# sin A&a-ever, -&o/(& *ai-& be no- #os- . . .

+1. 8eAman, $o&n Henr,$ectures on )ustification, 1434, Ne'man+s (or#s, ondon: on(mans, Green > %o.,

1441, 3234,330,3367,3391.

***+ %istor& of the *dea of Development of Doctrine *n the late second centur&- #t+ *renaeus spea(s of Christian doctrine as 2ever&.here the same+2

et he goes on to assert that=

+ + + constantl& it has its &outh rene.ed b& the #pirit of 7od- as if it .ere some preciousdeposit in an excellent vessel and it causes the vessel containing it also to be reuvenated+2$63)

Tertullian- .riting c+3/1- states that 2the grace of 7od .or(s and perfects up to the end+2 $64)#t+ >incent of erins- .riting around 545- gave the classic exposition found in the Church Fathers=

*n the Catholic Church herself ever& care must be ta(en that .e ma& hold fast to that.hich has been believed ever&.here- al.a&s- and b& all+ For this is- then trul& and properl&Catholic + + + $65)

Will there- then- be no progress of religion in the Church of ChristI Certainl& there is- andthe greatest + + + But it is trul&progressand not a change of faith+ What is meant b&progress is that something is brought to an advancement .ithin itself b& change- somethingis transformed from one thing into another+ *t is necessar&- therefore- that understanding-(no.ledge and .isdom gro. and advance strongl& and mightil& + + + and this must ta(e place

precisel& .ithin its o.n (ind- that is- in the same teaching- in the same meaning- and in thesame opinion+ The progress of religion in souls is li(e the gro.th of bodies- .hich- in thecourse of &ears- evolve and develop- but still remain .hat the& .ere + + + Although in thecourse of time something evolved from those first seeds and has no. expanded undercareful cultivation- nothing of the characteristics of the seeds is changed+ 7ranted thatappearance- beaut& and distinction has been added- still- the same nature of each (indremains+ $66)

Dogma + + + ma& be consolidated in the course of &ears- developed in the se?uence of time-and sublimated b& age ' &et remain incorrupt and unimpaired + + + so that it does not allo. ofan& change- or an& loss of its specific character- or an& variation of its inherent form+ $61)

*t should flourish and ripen it should develop and become perfect + + + but it is sinful tochange them + + + or mutilate them+ The& ma& ta(e on more evidence- clarit&- anddistinctness- but it is absolutel& necessar& that the& retain their plenitude- integrit&- andbasic character + + +

The Church of Christ is a faithful and ever .atchful guardian of the dogmas .hich havebeen committed to her charge+ *n this sacred deposit she changes nothing- she ta(esnothing + + +- she adds nothing to it+ $68)

9


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%ere .e have almost all the elements outlined b& "e.man fourteen centuries later- &et Protestantcontroversialists such as 7eorge #almon claim that "e.man:s vie.s .ere a radical departure fromCatholic precedent $69)Cardinal "e.man points out the relative development of t.o doctrines in the earl& Church- as an

example=

#ome notion of suffering + + + or other vague forms of the doctrine of Purgatory- has in itsfavour almost a consensus of the first four ages of the Church + + + Whereas no one .ill sa&that there is a testimon& of the Fathers- e?uall& strong- for the doctrine of Original Sin+ + +*n spite of the forcible teaching of #t+ Paul on the subect- the doctrine of !riginal #inappears neither in the Apostles: nor the "icene Creed+ $6;)

Finall&- #t+ Thomas A?uinas $0336'85) commented=

Regarding its substance- then- faith does not gro. .ith the passage of time- for .hateverhas been believed since .as contained from the start in the faith of the ancient fathers+ Asregards its explication- ho.ever- the number of articles has increased- for .e moderns

explicitl& believe .hat the& believed implicitl&+ $1/)Development of doctrine- then- has been the constant teaching of the Catholic Church from thebeginning- and all through its histor&+ !nl& a misunderstanding of .hat development entails- orignorance of the histor& of Christian doctrine- could cause an&one to doubt this+ "or is the concepthostile in an& .a& to the considerable amount of biblical data .hich can be brought to bear on thesubect+Development is not necessaril& corruption- as so man& evangelical Protestants casuall& assume+Rather- it is novel innovation- according to #cripture- the earl& Church- the Fathers- the Councils-and continuous Catholic Tradition- .hich is certainl& a corruption of true apostolic Christianit& $seeActs 3=53- 0 Corinthians 00=3- 3 Thessalonians 4=1- 7alatians 0=;-03- + %istor& of the Doctrine of the Eucharist*n the earl& second centur& $before 00/ A+D+)- #t+ *gnatius of Antioch held that 2the Eucharist is

the Flesh of our #avior


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$both eastern and .estern) bear plain .itness to the Real Presence and even $in some fashion)transubstantiation+#t+ Athanasius- in the fourth centur&- maintained that=

after the great and .onderful pra&ers have been completed- then the bread is become the

Bod&- and the .ine the Blood- of our ord


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i(e.ise- man& Anglicans $such as C+#+ e.is) accept the Real Presence- especiall& those .ho callthemselves 2high church2 Anglicans or 2Anglo'Catholics+2 $93),artin uther- .hile reecting the #acrifice of the ,ass- nevertheless held tenaciousl& to the RealPresence in the form of 2consubstantiation-2 in .hich the t.o substances of bread and Christ:s

Bod& are present simultaneousl&- rather than one substantiall& changing into the other+ *n fact- heregarded those .ho denied the Real Presence $such as J.ingli) as heretics and non'Christians- 2outof the Church-2 and applied to them some of the most graphic and scathing rebu(es in his colorfullinguistic repertoire+ Even so- in his earl& period- around 063/- he himself .as tempted to discardthis vie. in opposition to Catholic dogma- $94) but found both the biblical evidence and theunanimit& of Christian Tradition too unavoidable=

* am caught * cannot escape- the text is too forcible + + + * .restled and struggled and.ould gladl& have escaped+ $95)

*t is ver& dangerous to assume that the Church .hich had existed for so man& centuries-and had been the instructor of the .hole of Christendom- should not have taught the true

doctrine of the sacraments+ $96)As late as 0654- uther did not forbid an&one .ho believed in transubstantiation from oining hismovement+ $91) And- .hen as(ed .hether utherans should do a.a& .ith the Elevation of the %ostin the liturg&- uther consistentl& replied in 0655 $t.o &ears before he died)=

B& no means- for such abrogation .ould tend to diminish respect for the #acrament andcause it to be undervalued + + + *f Christ is trul& present in the Bread- .h& should %e not betreated .ith the utmost respect and even be adoredI


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The ord intended- b& calling himself the 2bread of life2 + + + to teach + + + that- b& trueparta(ing of him- his life passes into us and is made ours + + +

"othing remains but to brea( forth in .onder at this m&ster&- .hich plainl& neither themind is able to conceive nor the tongue to express + + + Christ:s flesh- separated from us b&

such great distance- penetrates to us- so that it becomes our food + + + the #pirit trul&unites things separated in space + + +

*f the ord trul& represents the participation in his bod& through the brea(ing of bread + + +he trul& presents and sho.s his bod& + + + B& the sho.ing of the s&mbol the thing itself isalso sho.n + + + When .e have received the s&mbol of the bod& + + + the bod& itself is alsogiven to us + + + $9;)

*t is remar(able and curious $from a Catholic perspective) that Calvin can conceive of and strongl&espouse an ethereal supernatural impartation of Christ:s 2flesh2 to us- .hich supercedes naturalla.s of space- &et feel compelled to go to the greatest lengths to denounce transubstantiation '.hereb& 7od transcends $primaril&) natural la.s of substance and matter ' as inherentl&2monstrous2 and absurd+ From a purel& rational- theoretical standpoint- neither concept is a priorian& more difficult to believe than the other+ Either scenario is perfectl& possible for an omnipotent7od+Calvin:s theor& is no more plausible- all things considered- than the traditional Catholic vie.+ et atthe same time Calvin $consciousl& or not) approximates man& of the same d&namics of thought+ %isposition might legitimatel& be regarded as inconsistent and illogical $especiall& given the abovebiblical proofs)- &et .hatever one thin(s of it- the praise.orth& reverence and a.esomeness .hichCalvin clearl& retains must be respectfull& ac(no.ledged+,ost Protestants toda&- especiall& evangelicals- pentecostals- and non'denominationalists- areinclined to accept the s&mbolic vie.- as first expounded b& J.ingli- .hile man& others $particularl&Anglicans and utherans) fail to comprehend or accept the ostensible official creedal teaching oftheir o.n denominations+ Thus- it is helpful for all Christians to freshl& approach the #criptures inorder to obectivel& determine our ord:s teaching on this ver& important matter- .hich Catholicsregard as the central purpose of Christians gathering together- the 2Blessed #acrament+2

FOOTNOTES (Eucharist61. e--er -o -&e


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76. %ommen-ar on Ma--&eA 26:27. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 3, 220.77. %ommen-ar on $o&n, 10,2 1+:1. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 3, 223.

74. EKp#ana-ions o* -&e "sa#ms, 33,1,10. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 3, 16.

79.!"id., 94,9. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 3, 20.

40. E.(.,


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*n the fourth centur&- #t+ C&ril of


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The ,ass + + + from root to top- s.arms .ith ever& sort of impiet&- blasphem&- idolatr&- andsacrilege+ $0/1)

*t .as to be expected- therefore- that anti'Catholicism is no. $and al.a&s has been) soscandalousl& and tragicall& prevalent among so man& Protestants $but not all- b& an& means)+ %o. can

one consider another a Christian 2brother2 .hen that person:s .ee(l& .orship is regarded as2abomination-2 2blasphem&-2 and 2idolatr&2I The Catholic cannot help but be frustrated over theab&smal disinformation .hich so often circulates among non'Catholics+ Calvin even errs on the plainfacts of earl& Church histor&- as indisputabl& demonstrated in the proofs from the Fathers ustpresented above+ With all due respect to Protestants and Calvin- the evidence of #cripture and thefacts of Christian histor&- once revealed and discovered- strongl& contradict the 7enevanReformer+#ome Anglicans $mostl& 2Anglo'Catholics2 or 2%igh Churchmen2)- contrar& to the norm inProtestantism- believe in the #acrifice of the ,ass+ $0/8) ,ost Anglicans- ho.ever- probabl& regardthe Catholic ,ass in the same .a& as does Article 40 of the Anglican Thirt&'"ine Articles $itscreed)=

+ + + The sacrifices of ,asses- in the .hich it .as commonl& said- that the Priest did offerChrist for the ?uic( and the dead- to have remission of pain or guilt- .ere blasphemousfables- and dangerous deceits+ $0/9)

The vie. of Eastern !rthodox& regarding the sacrificial nature of the ,ass $2Divine iturg&2)- is inall essentials identical to that of the Catholic Church+ $0/;)

FOOTNOTES (Sacri"ice o" the $ass90. e--er -o -&e %orin-&ians, , . 5rom $/r(ens, i##iam ., ed. and -r., The Faith of the Early Fathers 5E5, 3

vo#/mes, %o##e(evi##e, M8: i-/r(i'a# "ress, 1970, vo#. 1, 11.

91. ida'&e, 1:1,3. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, .

92.Dialogue 'ith Trypho, 1. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 60.

93.Against Heresies, , 17, +. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 9+.

9.!"id., ,14,2. $/r(ens, i"id. In -&e same 'on-eK- ,14,+! ,33,2,


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104. The oo# of Common Prayer, 1401 meri'an ed., 8: *+ %istor& of the Doctrine of the Communion of #aints*n the Catacombs underneath Rome $.hich date bac( to the earliest Christian period)- inscriptionsare fre?uentl& found on tombs .hich appeal to dead Christians- such as= 2As( for us in th& pra&ers-

for .e (no. thou art .ith Christ+2 Even the eminent Protestant church historian Philip #chaff- .hois openl& hostile to such practices- admits this+ $00/)

The oldest testimon& in the Fathers for the veneration of saints occurs around 061 in The,art&rdom of Pol&carp $08=4)=

GChristH .e .orship as the #on of 7od but the ,art&rs .e love as disciples and imitators ofthe ord and rightl& so- because of their unsurpassable devotion to their o.n ing andTeacher+

*n the same .or( $09=3)- it is recounted ho. the Christians of #m&rna collected the bones of #t+Pol&carp- 2more precious than the richest e.els and more tried than gold+2 $000)#t+


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*f Apostles and mart&rs- .hilst still in the flesh- and still needing to care for themselves-can pra& for others- ho. much more .ill the& pra& for others after the& have .on theircro.ns- their victories- their triumphsI ,oses- one man- obtains 7od:s pardon for sixhundred thousand armed men- and #tephen pra&s for his persecutors+ When the& are .ith

Christ .ill the& be less po.erfulI + + + #hall G#t+ PaulH close his lips after death- and notmutter a s&llable for those .ho throughout the .orld have believed in his gospelI $038)

#t+ Augustine- .riting around 5//- asserts=

We- the Christian communit&- assemble to celebrate the memor& of the mart&rs .ith ritualsolemnit& because .e .ant to be inspired to follo. their example- share in their merits- andbe helped b& their pra&ers+ et .e erect no altars to an& of the mart&rs + + + but to 7odhimself- the 7od of those mart&rs + + + What is offered is offered al.a&s to 7od- .hocro.ned the mart&rs + + +

#o .e venerate the mart&rs .ith the same veneration of love and fello.ship that .e give tothe hol& men of 7od still .ith us + + + But the veneration strictl& called .orship- or latria that

is- the special homage belonging onl& to the divinit&- is something .e give and teach othersto give to 7od alone+ The offering of a sacrifice belongs to .orship in this sense $that is.h& those .ho sacrifice to idols are called idol'.orshippers)- and .e neither ma(e nor tellothers to ma(e an& such offering to an& mart&r- an& hol& soul- or an& angel + + +

The saints themselves forbid an&one to offer them the .orship the& (no. is reserved for7od- as is clear from the case of Paul and Barnabas $see Acts 05=9'09)+ $039)

#t+ Augustine inferred from the concern of the rich man in #heol for his brothers $u(e 01=38)-that those in heaven must have much more interest in human affairs- $03;) and calls the saints our2intercessors+2 $04/) *n a sermon he begs #t+ #tephen and #t+ Paul for their petitions- $040) andattributes miracles- even the raising of the dead- to #tephen:s pra&ers+ $043) Pope #t+ eo the

7reat stressed in his sermons the po.erful intercession of the Apostles Peter and Paul- and alsothe Roman mart&r aurentius+ $044) Pope #t+ 7regor& the 7reat- at the end of the next centur&-upheld these doctrines to an even greater extent+ $045)Whatever one thin(s about such practices- it is clearl& not the case that those .ho developed anddefended these vie.s intended to lessen the veneration of 7od+ The Protestant accusation of2idolatr&2 and so forth- betra&s an utter noncomprehension of the rationale behind the communionof saints+ Whenever and .herever trul& idolatrous excesses occur among the common people- theseare not in accord .ith the teaching of the Catholic Church- and must be thought of as aberrations-rather than sanctioned practices of Catholicism+Except for a si@able minorit& faction .ithin Anglicanism $and perhaps tin& factions here and there)-the communion of the saints- as understood in the Catholic Tradition- has been reected outright b&

Protestantism- on grounds that it is either idolatrous- unbiblical- unnecessar&- or ?uasi'occultic+ Buteven in recent times- an 2icon2 of sorts among evangelical Protestants- C+#+ e.is- maintained thatthe invocation of saints had a legitimate theological rationale behind it- even though he himself didnot completel& agree .ith this vie.point+ $046)*n doctrine and practice- Eastern !rthodox& entirel& concurs .ith the Catholic Church .ith regardto the communion of saints+ $041)

FOOTNOTES (The Communion o" Saints

14


19/48

110.


20/48

Me-&odism e--er -o a Roman %a-&o#i', /b#in: 179, and .. o@er ;&e %omm/nion o*


21/48

These vie.s of the middle state in connection .ith pra&ers for the dead sho. a strongtendenc& to the Roman Catholic doctrine of Purgator& + + + there are traces of thepurgatorial idea of suffering the temporal conse?uences of sin- and a painful struggle afterholiness + + + The common people and most of the fathers understood it of a material fire

but this is not a matter of faith + + + A material fire .ould be ver& harmless .ithout amaterial bod&+ $059)

*n the fourth centur&- actantius asserted around 4/8 that= 2When 7od .ill udge the ust- it isli(e.ise in fire that he .ill tr& them+2 $05;) The first Christian historian- Eusebius- recounts that atthe death of the emperor Constantine $448)- a vast cro.d- led b& priests- offered pra&ers for hissoul .ith great lamentation+ $06/) #t+ Ephraim believed that 2the dead are benefited b& the pra&ersof living #aints+2 $060) #t+ C&ril of


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The pra&er + + + is heard on behalf of certain of the dead but it is heard for those .ho-having been regenerated in Christ- did not for the rest of their life in the bod& do such.ic(edness that the& might be udged un.orth& of such merc&- nor .ho &et lived so .ellthat it might be supposed the& have no need of such merc&+ $01/)

That there should be some such fire even after this life is not incredible- and it can bein?uired into and either be discovered or left hidden .hether some of the faithful ma& besaved- some more slo.l& and some more ?uic(l& in the greater or lesser degree in .hich the&loved the good things that perish- ' through a certain purgatorial fire+ $010)

Thus undeniabl& taught the earl& Church- and the Catholic Church through the centuries has onl&developed $not invented) the belief .hich .as present in its essentials from the beginning- indeed-that .hich it authoritativel& received right from the mouths of Christ and the Apostle Paul- as hasbeen illustrated above+Protestantism reected the beliefs in purgator& and pra&ers for the dead- .ith the exception ofAnglicans- man& of .hom have retained some form of these tenets- especiall& since the 0;th

centur&+ $013)C+ #+ e.is .as one of these traditional Anglicans+ *n a late .or(- etters to ,alcolm= Chiefl& onPra&er- $014) he stated that he pra&ed for the dead- among .hom .ere man& of his loved ones $he.as in his sixties at the time)- and that he believed in purgator&- comparing it to an intense rinsingof the mouth at the dentist:s office+ %e thought no one .ould .ant to enter heaven unclean- as this.ould be do.nright embarrassing+


23/48

The ancients rarel& and onl& perfunctoril& commended their dead to 7od in the communionof the #acred #upper+ $08/)

Eastern !rthodox& $broadl& spea(ing) concurs .ith Catholic Tradition on this matter- but itrefrains from defining the exact nature of the intermediate state- preferring a more m&stical vie.+

A maorit& faction holds that these departed do not suffer- .hile others believe that the& do insome undetermined sense+ A third group ta(es an agnostic position on suffering- .hile stillaccepting the intermediate state+ $080)

FOOTNOTES (%ur&atory137. EKamp#es *o/nd in


24/48

re'on'i#ia-ion %a-&o#i's, -oo, *e## pre -o s/'& in*#amma-or r&e-ori' i- bein( a (enera# -enden'. Here, &oAever,%a#vins *a'-/a# errors are ineK'/sab#e *or a man o* &is #earnin( and er/di-ion, and amo/n- -o s#ander and

misrepresen-a-ion o* -&e %a-&o#i' posi-ion.

169. In o-&er Aords, %a#vins in-erpre-a-ion o* i-, over a(ains- -&e /niversa# %&ris-ian radi-ion /p -o &is oAn -ime.

170. %a#vin, $o&n,!nstitutes of the Christian %eligion 1++9 ed., -r. 5ord . a--#es ed. $o&n . M'8ei##, -Ao

vo#/mes, "&i#ade#p&ia: es-mins-er "ress, 1960, ook 3, '&ap-er +, se'-ions 6, 10, vo#. 1, 676, 642643.171. are, imo-& r'&bis&op ?a##is-os, The /rthodo0 Church, 8: "en(/in ooks, rev. ed., 1940, 2+9.

>***+ %istor& of the Doctrine of PenanceThe doctrine of penance .as indisputabl& believed and practiced b& the earl& Church- as reputableProtestant Church histor& reference .or(s admit+ $083) Even before the end of the first centur&-

#t+ Clement of Rome advised his follo.ers to 2be subect to the presb&ters and + + + acceptdiscipline to penance- bending the (nee of the heart+2 $084)

*n the earl& second centur&- #t+ *gnatius of Antioch expresses the concept of the expiator&offering of himself- as in #t+ Paul:s teaching $Philippians 3=08- 3 Timoth& 5=1)= 2* am a humblesacrifice for &ou and * dedicate m&self to &ou Ephesians-2 $085) 2,a& * be a ransom on &our behalfin ever& respect- + + +2 $086) *n the middle of the centur&- #t+


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*n the fourth centur&- #t+ Ambrose ma(es t.o ver& clear and explicit statements on penance=

%e is purged as if b& certain .or(s of the .hole people- and is .ashed in the tears of themultitude b& the pra&ers and tears of the multitude he is redeemed from sin- and iscleansed in the inner man+ For Christ granted to %is Church that one should be redeemed

through all- ust as %is Church .as found .orth& of the coming of the ord


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172. %ross, 5.. > E.. ivin(s-one, eds.,The /0ford Dictionary of the Christian Church, OK*ord )niversi- "ress,2nd ed., 1943, 10+9! o/(#as, $.., ed., The Ne' !nternational Dictionary of the Christian Church, Grand Rapids,

MI: Nondervan, rev. ed., 1974, 762.

173. e--er -o -&e %orin-&ians, +7,1. In O--, /dAi(,Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, -r. "a-ri'k n'&, Ro'k*ord,

I: 8 ooks and "/b#is&ers, 197 ori(. 19+2 in German , 19.

17. e--er -o -&e Ep&esians, 4,1. In i(&-*oo-, $osep& . > $.R. Harmer, -rs., The Apostolic Fathers, 2nd ed., ed. >rev. b Mi'&ae# . Ho#mes, Grand rapids, MI: aker ook Ho/se, 1949 1s- ed. 1491, 49.

17+. e--er -o "o#'arp, 2,3 and 6,1. i(&-*oo-, ibid., 116117.

176. 5irs- po#o(, 61. 5rom $/r(ens, i##iam ., ed. and -r., The Faith of the Early Fathers 5E5, 3 vo#/mes,%o##e(evi##e, M8: i-/r(i'a# "ress, 1970, vo#. 1, +.

177.Against Heresies, I,6,3 B I,13,+ B I=,0,1. 5rom O--, ibid., 20.

174. Repen-an'e, 9,1+. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 130131.

179. Homi#ies on evi-i'/s, 2,. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 207.

140. &e apsed, 1617. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 214.

141. e--er -o eme-rian, 2+. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 223.

142. e--er o* %prian > His %o##ea(/es in %o/n'i# -o -&e 8/mber o* 66: o 5id/s, 6 +9,1. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1,

233.

143. "enan'e, 1,1+,40. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 2, 160161.

14. %ommen-ar on /ke, 7,1+6. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 2, 163.

14+. irgin so that the disobedience .hich proceeded from theserpent might be destro&ed in the same .a& it originated+ For Eve- being a virgin andundefiled- having conceived the .ord from the serpent- brought forth disobedience and

death+ The >irgin ,ar&- ho.ever- having received faith and o&- .hen the angel 7abrielannounced to her the good tidings + + + ans.ered= Be it done to me according to th& .ord+$09;)

#t+ *renaeus- a little later- ta(es up the same theme= 2What the virgin Eve had tied up b& unbelief-this the virgin ,ar& loosened b& faith+2 $0;/) %e also vie.s her as the preeminent intercessor forman(ind+ $0;0)*n the third centur&- !rigen taught the perpetual virginit& $0;3)- ,ar& as the second'Eve $0;4)- and.as the first Father to use the term Theoto(os+ $0;5) %e expressl& affirms the spiritualmotherhood of ,ar&= 2"o one ma& understand the meaning of the 7ospel Gof


27/48

! virgin lad&- immaculate ,other of 7od- m& lad& most glorious- most gracious- higher thanheaven- much purer than the sun:s splendor- ra&s or light + + + &ou bore 7od and the Wordaccording to the flesh- preserving &our virginit& before childbirth- a virgin after childbirth+$3/3)

#t+ 7regor& "a@ian@en- still in the same centur&- fre?uentl& refers to ,ar& as 2undefiled+2 $3/4) %e.arns that 2if an&one does not accept the hol& ,ar& as Theoto(os- he is .ithout the 7odhead+2$3/5) This is an instance of ,ariological doctrine representing a test of orthodox&+ #t+ 7regor&cites an invocation of ,ar& b& a .oman tempted b& the devil- to 2the >irgin ,ar&- imploring her tohelp a virgin in danger+2 $3/6) #t+ 7regor& of "&ssa often refers to ,ar&:s perpetual virginit&- callsher 2undefiled-2 $3/1) and develops the ,ar&'Eve theme+ $3/8) %e infers a vo. of virginit& on,ar&:s part- based on u(e 0=45+ $3/9)#t+ Epiphanius regards ,ar& as aeiparthenos- ever'virgin $3/;)- using the argument of


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irgin ,ar&=

The hol& >irgin ,ar&- about .hom- for the honour of the ord- * .ant there to be no?uestion .here sin is mentioned- for concerning her .e (no. that more grace for con?ueringsin in ever& .a& .as given to her .ho merited to conceive and give birth to him- .hocertainl& had no sin .hatsoever ' this virgin excepted- if .e could + + + as( all saints- .hetherthe& .ere .ithout sin- .hat- do .e thin(- .ould the& ans.erI $338)

The feast da& for ,ar&:s Conception .as celebrated in the east from the seventh centur& on.ards-and in the .est from the ninth centur&+ The B&@antine feast of the Assumption appears to havebeen introduced in the late seventh centur&- and b& the end of the next centur& it .as observedever&.here in the .est on August 06th+ $339)*n the ,iddle Ages- the doctrine of the *mmaculate Conception under.ent much development- as

ud.ig !tt and Cardinal "e.man recount=nder the influence of #t+ Bernard- the leading theologians of the 03th and 04th centuries$Peter ombard- #t+ Alexander of %ales- #t+ Bonaventure- #t+ Albert the 7reat- #t+ ThomasA?uinas)- reected the doctrine of the *mmaculate Conception+ Their difficult& .as thatthe& had not &et found the .a& to bring ,ar&:s freedom from original sin into consonance.ith the universalit& of original sin- and .ith the necessit& of all men for redemption+

The correct approach to the final solution of the problem .as first achieved b& theFranciscan theologian- William of Ware- and this .as perfected b& his great pupil irgin and ,other of 7odin this Decree+2 $33;)

As to the doctrine of the *mmaculate Conception- it .as implied in earl& times- and neverdenied+ *n the ,iddle Ages it .as denied b& #t+ Thomas and b& #t+ Bernard- but the& too(the phrase in a different sense from that in .hich the Church no. ta(es it+ The&

understood it .ith reference to our ad&:s mother- and thought it contradicted the text-*n sin hath m& mother conceived me' .hereas .e do not spea( of the *mmaculateConception except as relating to ,ar& and the other doctrine $.hich #t+ Thomas and #t+Bernard did oppose) is reall& heretical+ $34/)

Eastern Orthodoy

The ,ariolog& of Eastern !rthodox& is in man& respects identical to that of the Catholic Church+The !rthodox greatl& venerate the Blessed >irgin in the same sense as in Catholicism- call her

24


29/48

Theoto(os- Aeiparthenos-$Ever'>irgin)- andPanagia$All'%ol&)- regard her as the "e. Eve- and holdfirml& to her bodil& Assumption+ Although the& maintain that ,ar& .as free from actual sin- the

great maorit& of !rthodox reect the *mmaculate Conception+ #ome Catholic theologians- such asouis Bou&er $340)- have argued that !rthodox theologians $li(e #t+ Thomas A?uinas himself) often

misunderstand the precise meaning of this dogma- as clarified b& Duns #cotus and others- andfinall& defined in 0965+ $343) "evertheless- the feast of the *mmaculate Conception firstoriginated in the east- and individual !rthodox Christians are free to believe in this doctrine

.ithout being deemed heretical++!he "ounders of Protestantis#

The Founders of Protestantism- or Reformers- as the& are (no.n- .ho believed in #cripture Aloneas the highest Christian authorit&- nevertheless continued in the sixteenth centur& to retain a

surprising number of ,arian dogmas $particularl& the perpetual virginit& and the use of Theoto(os)+*n man& respects the& .ere closer in belief to their Catholic opponents than the& are to present'

da& Protestants+ ,artin uther himself .as startlingl& 2Catholic2 in this regard+ The vie.s of thesemen are of considerable historical interest and deserve to be detailed at some length+

,artin uther taught the traditional understanding of the title 2,other of 7od2 in the follo.ingpassage=

7od did not derive his divinit& from ,ar& but it does not follo. that it is therefore .rongto sa& that 7od .as born of ,ar&- that 7od is ,ar&:s #on- and that ,ar& is 7od:s mother + ++ #he is the true mother of 7od and bearer of 7od + + + ,ar& suc(led 7od- roc(ed 7od tosleep- prepared broth and soup for 7od- etc+ For 7od and man are one person- one Christ-one #on- one irgin ,ar& bore no children besides %im + + + *am inclined to agree .ith those .ho declare that 2brothers2 reall& mean 2cousins2 here- for%ol& Writ and the


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#he is full of grace so that she ma& be recogni@ed as .ithout an& sin+ That is a high andgreat thing- for 7od:s grace fills her .ith all gifts and frees her from all evil+ $34;)

The utheran scholar Arthur Carl Piep(orn $0;/8'84)- of Concordia #eminar& in #t+ ouis- afterintense stud&- confirmed uther:s lifelong $barring t.o 2lapses2) acceptance of the *mmaculate

Conception+ $35/)Though he made no une?uivocal statements concerning it- uther never denied theAssumption+ $350) Additionall&- he upheld the spiritual motherhood of ,ar&- the usefulness of theRosar&- and the propriet& of the phrase 2Lueen of %eaven+2=

,ar& is the ,other of


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historian does not inform us + + + "o man .ill obstinatel& (eep up the argument- except froman extreme fondness for disputation+ $36/)

%einrich Bullinger- another historicall& significant Protestant Reformer- made an extraordinar&proclamation .hich appears to uphold virtuall& all of the Catholic ,arian dogmas=

Eliah .as transported bod& and soul in a chariot of fire he .as not buried in an& Churchbearing his name- but mounted up to heaven- so that + + + .e might (no. .hat immortalit& andrecompense 7od prepares for his faithful prophets and for his most outstanding andincomparable creatures + + + *t is for this reason- .e believe- that the pure and immaculateembodiment of the ,other of 7od- the >irgin ,ar&- the Temple of the %ol& #pirit- that isto sa& her saintl& bod&- .as carried up to heaven b& the angels+ $360)

Within Anglicanism- man& of the 2high'church2 or 2Anglo'Catholic2 faction believe in a ,ariolog& notunli(e that of the Catholic Church- both doctrinall& and devotionall&+ $363)

FOOTNOTES ($ary149. ia#o(/e Ai-& rp&o, 100:+, in Grae*, Hi#da,Mary1 A History of Doctrine and Devotion*'ombined ed. o*

vo#s. 1 > 2, ondon: ard, 196+ as are a## pa-ris-i' L/o-es *o##oAin( /n#ess o-&erAise no-ed.

190.Against Heresies, 3,21,10.191. Ibid., ,33,11.

192. Homi# 7 on /ke.

193. Homi# 1 on Ma--&eA +.

19. Ao 5ra(men-s on /ke, nos. 1 and 40 in -&e er#in ed.

19+. In $o&n, 1,6.

196. D/o-ed b %ri# in &is Aork a(ains- $/#ian.

197.Ecclesiastica Theologia.194. is'o/rse (ains- -&e rians, 2,70.

199. e--er -o -&e =ir(ins.

200. %ommen-ar on Ma--&eA, 1, B 1,20.

201. 8isibene Hmns, 27,4.

202. ;"raer -o -&e Mos- Ho# Mo-&er o* God;.

203. %armina, 1,2,1.20. o %#edoni/s -&e "ries-, (ains- po##inaris, 101.

20+. Ora-io, 2,11.206. E.(., (ains- ppo#inaris, 6.

207. Homi# 13 on -&e %an-i'#e B On -&e ir-& o* %&ris-.

204. Ibid.

209. "anarion, 74,1 B 74,+.

210. Ibid., 74,10.

211. Ibid., 74,21.

212. Ibid., 74,14.

213. Ibid., 74,11.21. Ibid., 79,7.

21+. Homi#ies on Ma--&eA.

216. %ommen-ar 7 in "sa#ms .217. Epis-#e 2, 6.

214. %ommen-ar on /ke, 2,17 B %ommen-ar on "sa#ms 114, 22,30.

219. Epis-#e 63,33 B Epis-#e 9,2.

220. %ommen-ar on /ke, 2,7.

221. &e Ho#


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226. %&ris-ian %omba-, 22,2. 5rom $/r(ens, i##iam ., ed. and -r., The Faith of the Early Fathers, 3 vo#/mes,%o##e(evi##e, M8: i-/r(i'a# "ress, 1970, vo#. 3, +0.

227. 8a-/re and Gra'e, 36,2

224. %ross, 5.. > E.. ivin(s-one, eds., The /0ford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 2nd ed., OK*ord: OK*ord

)niv. "ress, 1943, 692,99.

229. O--, /dAi(,Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, -r. "a-ri'k n'&, Ro'k*ord, I: 8 ooks > "/b#is&ers,197 ori(. 19+2 in German, 201202.

230. 8eAman,Meditations and Devotions, Harrison, 8: Roman %a-&o#i' ooks, n.d. ori(. 1493, 1+3.

231. o/er, o/is,The Seat of (isdom, -r. .=. i--#eda#e, %&i'a(o: Henr Re(ner %o., 196+ ori(. 1960, 10.232. are, imo-& r'&bis&op ?a##is-os, The /rthodo0 Church, 8: "en(/in ooks, Rev. ed., 1940, 261.

233. /n the Councils and the Church 1+39. 5rom "e#ikan, $aros#av > He#m/- . e&mann, eds.,$uther+s (or#s,


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$etter to the Romans- 5-4)- and #t+ *renaeus- in his Against %eresies $c+0;; ' 4=0=3- 4=4=0)-expressl& affirms that these t.o Apostles founded the Roman church and commenced its apostolicsuccession+Finall&- the existence and location of the actual tomb of #t+ Peter and his bones ' under the present

#t+ Peter:s cathedral in the >atican ' have been strongl& confirmed b& archaeological excavation+$364)St$ Peter as &ishop of %o#e and "irst Pope

*t .ould seem to follo. as a matter of course that #t+ Peter .as the first bishop of Rome- but thisparticular is not as .ell attested in ancient documents as the fact that he .as simpl& there- hence

it is not as .idel& ac(no.ledged b& Protestants+ "evertheless- .e possess fairl& earl& and ?uitereliable evidence of Peter:s bishopric at Rome- from #t+ *renaeus $alread& cited)- #t+ C&prian-c+363- .ho calls Rome 2the Chair of Peter2 $etter to Pope Cornelius- 66)- and the first Church

historian- Eusebius- c+406- .ho .rites in his %istor& $5=0) that 2inus .as the first after Peter thatobtained the Episcopate of the Church of the Romans+2

,oreover- the ver& fact of the later strong traditions of apostolic succession and the papac&

arising out of Rome- and the earl& cultus of veneration of Peter and Paul there- provide further?uite strong proofs of .hat is no. the Catholic position- held as dogma+ For historical traditions- asa rule- do not arise out of sheer m&ths or hearsa&- but as a result of actual historical events-considered unassailable b& the earl& proponents $for example- ,oses receiving the Commandmentsand


34/48

Adolf von %arnac( $0960'0;4/)- the theologicall& liberal Church historian and theologian- regardedb& some as the most outstanding authorit& of his generation on the Church Fathers and earl&Christian literature $366)- .rote in his famous treatise %istor& of Dogma- concerning the firstletter of #t+ Clement- bishop of Rome- .ritten to the Corinthians- that it=

+ + + proves that- b& the end of the first centur&- the Roman Church had alread& dra.n upfixed rules for her o.n guidance- that she .atched .ith motherl& care over outl&ingcommunities- and that she then (ne. ho. to use language that .as at once an expression ofdut&- love- and authorit&+ $361)

#t+ Francis de #ales- .ho .as vigorousl& engaged in an effort to .in bac( the Calvinists and otherProtestants to the Catholic faith at the end of the 01th centur&- summari@ed the evidences for theprimac& of the pope and Rome in earl& Christianit&=

#t+ Peter died Bishop of Rome ' therefore the diocese of Rome .as the last seat of thehead of the Church= therefore the Bishop of Rome .ho came after the death of #t+ Peter-succeeded to the head of the Church- and conse?uentl& .as head of the Church+ #ome one

might sa& that he succeeded the head of the Church as to the bishopric of Rome- but not asto the (ingship of the .orld+ But such a one must sho. that #t+ Peter had t.o sees- of .hichone .as for Rome- the other for the universe- .hich .as not the case + + + %ence- the Bishopof Rome remained general lieutenant in the Church- and successor of #t+ Peter + + +

At the Council of "icea- at those of Constantinople and Chalcedon- it is not seen that an&bishop usurps the primac& for himself= it is attributed- according to ancient custom- to thePope no other is named in e?ual degree+ *n short- never .as it said- either certainl& ordoubtfull&- of an& bishop in the first five hundred &ears that he .as head or superior overthe rest- except of the Bishop of Rome about him indeed it .as never doubted- but .asheld as settled that he .as such+ !n .hat ground- then- after fifteen hundred &ears passed-.ould one cast doubt on this ancient traditionI * should never end .ere * to tr& tocatalogue all the assurances and repetitions of this truth .hich .e have in the Ancients:.ritings+ $368)

Finall&-


35/48

churches- for the sa(e of uniformit&- to conform to the practice of the West- and hisinstructions are universall& follo.ed + + +

Dion&sius- Bishop of Rome- about the middle of the third centur&- having heard that thePatriarch of Alexandria erred on some points of faith- demands an explanation of the

suspected Prelate- .ho- in obedience to his superior- promptl& vindicates his o.n orthodox&+

#t+ Athanasius- the great patriarch of Alexandria- appeals in the fourth centur& to Pope


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7erman& and Bavaria venerate as their Apostle #t+ Boniface- .ho is popularl& (no.n in hisnative England b& his baptismal name of Winfrid+ %e .as commissioned b& Pope 7regor& **-in the beginning of the eighth centur&- and .as consecrated Bishop b& the same Pontiff+

*n the ninth centur& t.o saintl& brothers- C&ril and ,ethodius- evangeli@ed Russia-

#clavonia- ,oravia and other parts of "orthern Europe+ The& recogni@ed the supremeauthorit& of Pope "icholas * and of his successors- Adrian ** and ***+

All the other nations of Europe- having been converted before the Reformation- receivedli(e.ise the light of faith from Roman Catholic ,issionaries - because Europe thenrecogni@ed onl& one Christian Chief + + + $369)

)estern Church "athers *enerally Latin+Spea,ing- and the Papacy

#t+ Clement of Rome- in his etter to the Corinthians- dated at about 9/ A+D+-ma(es a remar(abl& 2authoritative2 statement=

We have been some.hat tard& in turning our attention to the matters in dispute among &ou +

+ + *f an&one disobe& the things .hich have been said b& %im through us- let them (no. thatthe& .ill involve themselves in transgression and in no small danger+ $36;)

,ax ac(mann- a utheran- comments on this letter of #t+ Clement=

Clement- as the spo(esman of the .hole People of 7od + + + admonishes the Church of Corinthin serious- authoritative and brotherl& tones to correct the internal abuses of theirecclesiastical communit&+ %e censures- exhorts- cautions- entreats + + +

The use of the expression send bac( in the statement= #end bac( speedil& unto us ourmessengers $0 Clement 16-0)- is not merel& a special (ind of biblical phrase but also a formof Roman imperial command+ The Roman udge in a province of the empire sent bac( amessenger or a pac(et of documents to the imperial capital or to the court of the emperor

$Acts 36=30)+ Clement of Rome doubtless also (ne. this administrative terminolog& of theimperial government and used it effectivel&+ $31/)

#t+ *renaeus- .riting bet.een 09/ and 0;;- ma(es a ver& influential and .ell'(no.n proclamation=

+ + + Peter and Paul .ere evangeli@ing in Rome and la&ing the foundation of the Church + + + thegreatest and most ancient Church (no.n to all- founded and organi@ed at Rome b& the t.omost glorious Apostles- Peter and Paul- that Church .hich has the tradition and the faith.hich comes do.n to us after having been announced to men b& the Apostles+ For .ith thisChurch- because of its superior originall Churches must agree- that is- all the faithful inthe .hole .orld and it is in her that the faithful ever&.here have maintained the Apostolictradition+

The blessed Apostles- having founded and built up the Church- the& handed over the officeof the episcopate to inus+ Paul ma(es mention of this inus in the Epistle to Timoth& G3Timoth& 5=30H+ To him succeeded Anencletus and after him- in the third place from theApostles- Clement .as chosen for the episcopate + + +

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*n the time of Clement- no small dissension having arisen among the brethren in Corinth- theChurch in Rome sent a ver& strong letter to the Corinthians- exhorting them to peace andrene.ing their faith+ $310)

#t+ C&prian- .riting in the middle of the third centur&- strongl& affirms the papac& and Roman

primac&=

*t is on one man that %e builds the Church + + + *n order that unit& might be clearl& sho.n-%e established b& %is o.n authorit& a source for that unit&- .hich ta(es its beginning fromone man alone+ *ndeed- the other Apostles .ere that also .hich Peter .as- being endo.ed.ith an e?ual portion of dignit& and po.er but the origin is grounded in unit&- so that it ma&be made clear that there is but one Church of Christ+ $313)

With a false bishop appointed for themselves b& heretics- the& dare even to set sail andcarr& letters from schismatics and blasphemers to the chair of Peter and to the principalChurch- in .hich sacerdotal unit& has its source nor did the& ta(e thought that these areRomans- .hose faith .as praised b& the preaching Apostle- and among .hom it is not

possible for perfid& Gthat is- faithlessnessH to have entrance+ $314)

*n the fourth centur&- still up to a hundred &ears before man& Protestants contend that the papac&even existed- Pope #t+


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Where Peter is- there is the Church+ And .here the Church- no death is there- but lifeeternal+ $319)

#t+


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We enoin upon &ou the necessar& tas( of guarding the authorit& of the Apostolic #ee+ Andif the instructions handed &ou have to mention this and if &ou have to be present in theassembl&- if it comes to controvers&- it is not &ours to oin the fight- but to udge of theiropinions+ $381)

*n his Third etter to *ll&rian Bishops- he declares=

We have special anxiet& about all persons because on us- in the hol& apostle Peter- Christconferred the necessit& of ma(ing all men our care- .hen he gave him the (e&s of openingand shutting+ $388)

Finall&- Pope #t+ eo the 7reat- .ho reigned from 55/ to 510- considered b& man& Protestant andsecular historians as the first pope- spo(e perhaps more clearl& than an&one up to that timeconcerning Roman primac& and papal duties- prerogatives- and supremac&- &et ' as .e have seen ' hisvie.s .ere merel& the culmination and more advanced development of .hat had been the essentialbeliefs of the universal $that is- Catholic) Church from the beginning=

The ord + + + .anted %is gifts to flo. into the entire bod& from Peter himself- as if from

the head- in such a .a& that an&one .ho had dared to separate himself from the solidarit&of Peter .ould reali@e that he .as himself no longer a sharer in the divine m&ster& + + +

The Apostolic #ee + + + has on countless occasions been reported to in consultation b&bishops + + + And through the appeal of various cases to this see- decisions alread& made havebeen either revo(ed or confirmed- as dictated b& longstanding custom+ $389)

Although bishops have a common dignit&- the& are not all of the same ran(+ Even among themost blessed Apostles- though the& .ere ali(e in honor- there .as a certain distinction ofpo.er+ All .ere e?ual in being chosen- but it .as given to one to be preeminent over theothers + + +

The care of the universal Church .ould converge one #ee of Peter- and nothing should everbe at odds .ith this head+ $38;)

From the .hole .orld onl& one- Peter- is chosen to preside over the calling of all nations- andover all the other Apostles- and over the Fathers of the Church + + + Peter + + + rules them all-of .hom- too- it is Christ .ho is their chief ruler+ $39/)

Eastern Church "athers *enerally ree,+Spea,ing- and the Papacy

#t+ *gnatius of Antioch- .riting to the Roman church around 00/ A+D+- asserts=

ou have envied no one but others &ou have taught+ * desire onl& that .hat &ou haveenoined in &our instructions ma& remain in force+ $390)

!rigen- .riting in the first half of the third centur&- also ac(no.ledges the preeminence of #t+Peter=

Peter- upon .hom is built the Church of Christ + + + $393)

oo( at the great foundation of the Church- that most solid of roc(s- upon .hom Christbuilt the Church $394)

*n the fourth centur&- #t+ Ephraim exclaims=

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#imon- ,& follo.er- * have made &ou the foundation of the hol& Church+ * betimes called &ouPeter- because &ou .ill support all its buildings+ ou are the inspector of those .ho .ill buildon earth a Church for ,e+ *f the& should .ish to build .hat is false- &ou- the foundation-.ill condemn them+ ou are the head of the fountain from .hich ,& teaching flo.s- &ou are

the chief of ,& disciples+ Through &ou * .ill give drin( to all peoples + + + * have chosen &outo be- as it .ere- the first'born in ,& institution- and so that- as the heir- &ou ma& beexecutor of m& treasures+ * have given &ou the (e&s of m& (ingdom+ Behold- * have given &ouauthorit& over all m& treasures $395)

ephas + + + the head of the Apostles .ho received the po.er of the (e&s and is ta(en forthe shepherd of the floc( + + + $396)

#t+ Basil the 7reat- one of the most revered Fathers in the east among the Eastern !rthodox-as(ed Pope Damasus * $reigned 411'495) to arbitrate bet.een the churches in present'da& Tur(e&$Asia ,inor)- and decide .hich side .ould be in communion .ith the pope=

We are in no .ise as(ing an&thing ne.- but .hat .as customar& .ith blessed and religious

men of former times- and especiall& .ith &ourself+ For .e (no.- b& tradition of our fathers ++ + that Dion&sius Ga pope .ho reigned from 36;'31;H- that most blessed Bishop- .hile he.as eminent among &ou for orthodox& and other virtues- sent letters of visitation to ourChurch at Caesarea- and of consolation to our fathers- .ith ransomers of our brethren fromcaptivit&+ $391)

#t+ 7regor& "a@ian@en affirms=

The faith Gof RomeH .as of old- and still is no.- right- binding the .hole West b& the saving.ord= as is ust in her .ho presides over all- reverencing the .hole harmon& of 7od+ $398)

#t+ Epiphanius has full confidence in the primac& of #t+ Peter and the popes=

G*t is m&H pra&er to unite m&self to &ou Gthe popeH and to embrace the divine dogmas thathad been handed do.n b& tradition from the blessed and hol& disciples and apostles of 7od-especiall& from Peter the chief of the apostles- to &our hol& see+ $399)

*n 453 and 454- the Council of #ardica $#ofia- Bulgaria) .as held in order to solve disputes bet.eeneast and .est- such as that concerning #t+ Athanasius+ About ;/ .estern bishops and 9/ easternbishops .ere present+ *n its Canons 4- 5- and 6- it expressl& sanctioned the right to appeal to Romeand the pope for udgment+ Canon 5 reads in part=

*f some bishop be deposed b& the udgment of the bishops sitting in the neighborhood- andif he declare that he .ill see( further redress- another should not be appointed to his seeuntil the bishop of Rome can be ac?uainted .ith the case and render a udgment+ $39;)

#t+


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three times .hether he loved %im- and commanded him to feed and tend %is sheep $


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respectfull& maintained that Eastern !rthodox& and Protestantism ' not Catholicism ' havedeparted from ancient- apostolic Tradition in this matter+et more corroboration of Catholic papal claims is to be found in the record of the ecumenicalCouncils of the Church- the first seven of .hich are full& accepted b& the Eastern !rthodox as

authoritative- indeed 2infallible+2 $3;8) ,an& Protestants $especiall& Anglicans and utherans)ac(no.ledge at least the first four as having some sort of authorit& or importance for thedevelopment of Christian theolog&+ *t is to these Councils .hich .e no. turn in our historicalsurve&=

Ecu#enical Councils and the Papacy


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et the ancient custom .hich is follo.ed in Eg&pt and ib&a and the Pentapolis remain inforce- b& .hich the Bishop of Alexandria has the supervision of all those places- since this isalso the custom of the Bishop of Rome+ $4//)

Council of Constantinople $490)

This Council .as neither originall& planned as- nor regarded as- an ecumenical Council- since itconsisted of 06/ eastern bishops and no atin bishops- and .as intended to straighten out problemsin the east+ *n its Canon 5- the Council proclaimed= 2The Bishop of Constantinople shall have theprimac& of honor after the Bishop of Rome- because his cit& is "e. Rome+2 $4/0) Pope eo the7reat later reected this Canon $after it .as confirmed illegitimatel& b& eastern Fathers at theCouncil of Chalcedon in 560) on grounds that it .as contrar& to the 2principle of apostolicit&2 $asConstantinople had no apostolic bac(ground .hatsoever)- and .as compromised b& the 2principle ofaccommodation2 $.hereb& political happenstance and expedience .ere placed in an inordinatel& loft&position vis'a'vis the Church ' a tendenc& often (no.n as 2caesaropapism-2 under the spell of .hicheastern Christianit& has constantl& fallen pre&)+ Constantinople .as the seat of the B&@antineEmperor- but this- reasoned eo and the Catholic Church- had little to do .ith apostolic or

ecclesiastical preeminence+ "evertheless- at least this all'eastern Council still ac(no.ledged the2primac&2 of the pope+ *t .as later ac(no.ledged as an ecumenical Council b& Pope 7regor& the7reat $.ho reigned from 6;/'1/5)- although the Canons continued to be reected b& Rome+Council of Ephesus $540)#t+ C&ril of Alexandria- as noted in the Council records- .as 2ta(ing the place of Celestine- the mosthol& and most reverend chief'bishop of the church of the Romans+2 $4/3) The other bishops aremerel& mentioned b& name and see $Celestine M C&ril .as at the head of the list)+ C&ril had alread&consulted the pope for his verdict on the "estorian heres&+ Pope Celestine:s legates declared atthe Council .ithout opposition=

There is no doubt- it has been (no.n to all centuries- that the hol& and blessed ApostlePeter- the prince and head and pillar of the faith and foundation of the Catholic Church-received the (e&s of the (ingdom from our ord


44/48

The Council + + + .as attended b& the largest number of Bishops of an& Council before orsince some sa& as man& as six hundred and thirt&+ !f these- onl& four came from the West-t.o Roman egates and t.o Africans+

*ts proceedings .ere opened b& the Pope:s egates- .ho said that the& had it in charge

from the Bishop of Rome- .hich is the head of all the Churches- to demand that Dioscorusshould not sit- on the ground that he had presumed to hold a Council .ithout the authorit&of the Apostolic #ee- .hich had never been done nor .as la.ful to do+ This .as immediatel&allo.ed them+

The next act of the Council .as to give admission to Theodoret- .ho had been deposed atthe atrocinium+ The *mperial officers present urged his admission- on the ground that themost hol& Archbishop eo hath restored him to the Episcopal office- and the most piousEmperor hath ordered that he should assist at the hol& Council + + +

*n the second #ession + + + the Creed of "icaea and Constantinople .as read then some of

the Epistles of #t+ C&ril lastl&- #t+ eo:s Tome + + + At length the Bishops cried out- This isthe faith of the Fathers this is the faith of the Apostles= .e all believe thus the orthodoxbelieve thus anathema to him .ho does not believe thus+ Peter has spo(en through eo theApostles taught thus+ + +

Dioscorus .as tried and condemned sentence .as pronounced against him b& the Pope:segates- and ran thus= The most hol& Archbishop of Rome- eo- through us and this presentCouncil- .ith the Apostle #t+ Peter- .ho is the roc( and foundation of the Catholic Churchand of the orthodox faith- deprives him of the Episcopal dignit& and ever& sacerdotalministr& + + +

The Council- after its termination- addressed a letter to #t+ eo in it the Fathers

ac(no.ledge him as constituted interpreter of the voice of Blessed Peter- $.ith an allusionto #t+ Peter:s Confession in ,atthe. 01) and spea( of him as the ver& one commissioned.ith the guardianship of the >ine b& the #aviour+ $4/1)

After the Council had completed its .or(- Pope eo received t.o extraordinar& letters= The etterof the Patriarchs to Pope eo the 7reat reads in part=

ou have indeed preserved the faith- .hich has come do.n to us li(e a golden streamflo.ing at the command of our divine Teacher + + + ou have poured forth upon the universethe blessings he GPeterH elicited b& his faith+ %ence .e have loo(ed to &ou as to the leaderof our religion to our great advantage+ ou indeed- as the head among the members-presided here in the person of &our representatives- .ho led the .a& b& their correct

counsel+ $4/8)

i(e.ise- the etter of Anatolius- Patriarch of Constantinople- to eo=

This decree the hol& s&nod and .e have referred to &our %oliness in order to obtain from&ou approval and confirmation + + + For the throne of Constantinople has &our apostolicthrone as its father+ $4/9)

Third Council of Constantinople $19/'190)%istorian Philip %ughes describes the proceedings of this Council=


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*t .as the GpapalH legates .ho opened the proceedings+ Beginning .ith a reference to thedissensions of the last fort&'six &ears Gthe ,onothelite heres&H + + +- all these- the& said-had been due to the acts of various patriarchs of Constantinople G#ergius- P&rrhus- Paul andPeter also C&rus of AlexandriaH + + +

At + + + the fourth session G"ovember 06- 19/H the patriarch of Constantinople as(ed thatthe letter of Pope Agatho to the emperor be read- and the profession of faith .hich the036 bishops had signed+ This .as assented to- these bul(& treatises .ere read out- andAgatho:s authoritative statement of the traditional faith- modelled on the Tome of #t+ eo-.as greeted .ith shouts that recall the triumphs of 560= *t is Peter .ho is spea(ing throughAgatho + + +

G*n theH eighth session- ,arch 8 G190H- The emperor put the ?uestion point'blan( to thepatriarch of Constantinople- .hether the doctrine of the passages- as actuall& found in theFathers and in the 7eneral Councils Gconcerning the .ills of ChristH- tallied .ith the letterof Agatho and the profession of faith of the .estern bishops+ The patriarch ans.ered that

all this mass of testimon& did indeed bear out that .hat Agatho taught .as the truth of thematter- and so * profess and believe- he said+ And all the bishops present- save a handful-assented li(e.ise + + + The schism of recent &ears + + + .as ended+ $4/;)

*n a letter to Emperor Constantine *> after.ards- the bishops described Pope Agatho in man& .a&s.hich suggest that the& believed in his supremac&- using terms li(e 2our most blessed father- andmost high pope- the Prince of the Apostles + + + his imitator and the successor to his chair+2 The&concluded that 2through Agatho it .as Peter .ho .as spea(ing+2 $40/) The& also .rote to the popehimself- addressing him as occup&ing 2the first see of the universal Church-2 and 2the chiefest headof the Apostles+2 $400) The emperor- in his edict to the people- declared that the true faith had2been preserved untainted b& Peter- the roc( of the faith- the head of the Apostles in this faith.e live and reign+2 $403) astl&- the emperor .rote to Pope eo **- Agatho:s sucessor=

With the e&es of our understanding .e sa. it as if it .ere the ver& ruler of the Apostolicchoir- the first chair- Peter himself- declaring the m&ster& of the .hole dispensation- andaddressing Christ b& this letter + + + for his hol& letter described in .ord for us the .holeChrist+ We all received it .illingl& and sincerel&- and embraced it- as though the letter .erePeter himself + + + 7lor& be to 7od- .ho does .ondrous things- Who has (ept safe the faithamong &ou unharmed+ For ho. should %e not do so G.ith regard toH that roc( on .hich %efounded %is church- and prophesied that the gates of hell- all the ambushes of heretics-should not prevail against itI From it- as from the vault of heaven- the .ord of the trueconfession flashed forth- and + + + brought .armth to fro@en orthodox& + + + $404)

Fourth Council of Constantinople $91;'8/)

This Council adopted- almost verbatim- the Formula of Pope %ormisdas- a statement .hich had beensigned b& some 36/ Eastern bishops in 60;- thus putting to an end the Acacian schism $595'60;)+The Formula states- among other things=

#ince .e cannot pass over the .ords of our ord


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hope to merit to be in the one communion .hich the Apostolic #ee preaches- in .hich #ee isthe full and true solidit& of the Christian religion+ $405)

!houghts on the .yth of .ass Patristic /0postasy/

The virtual universalit& of patristic vie.s on doctrines li(e infused ustification- regenerative

baptism and an 2ultra'realistic2 or literal Eucharist .ould suggest- * thin(- that perhaps the so'called 2Catholic2't&pe vie.s .erepresent in (ernel or explicitl& in the apostolic deposit itself- so

that there .ould then not be a scenario of 2thro.ing biblical M apostolic doctrines out the .indo.+2The Protestant habituall& assumes $oftentimes .ithout having examined both sides of a debate)that certain things are 2not biblical2 therefore not 2apostolic2 '' .hich supposedl& 2proves2 thatthe& .ere much later additions $corruptions)+ #o .hen the& see 2Catholic2 notions held en masseb&Fathers- the& immediatel& conclude- based on their erroneous premise- that the Fathers committedmass $albeit m&sterious and inexplicable) apostas& from the original pure apostolic teaching+ %encethe existence of 2mass apostas& m&ths2 in groups such as the anti'Catholic .ings of the Reformedand Anglicanism- Church of Christ- andmar( Baptists- 8th'Da& Adventists- etc+ $as .ell as in cultsli(e the ,ormons and


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261.Against Heresies, 3,1,1! 3,3,23! $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 4990.262. &e )ni- o* -&e %a-&o#i' %&/r'&, ! $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 220221.

263. e--er -o "ope %orne#i/s, +9 ++, 1! $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 232.

26. e--er -o E/sebian is&ops o* n-io'&, 22! $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 36.

26+. e'ree o* amas/s, 5rom %o/n'i# o* Rome in 342, 3! $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 06.

266. &e Media, rev. ed., 1944,

206207! primar so/r'e *rom Mi(ne, &ree# Fathers, 91,137 **.29+. e--er -o 8avera-i/s Ep. 63, *rom Mi(ne, &ree# Fathers, 94:1241! 'i-ed in $aki, ibid., 171.

296. ?@9:;8HG%, Garden %i-, 8:

o/b#eda Ima(e, 1961, 1617, 1+.

7


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300. $/r(ens, 5E5, vo#. 1, 243.301. Ibid., 00.

302. H/(&es, HG%, 70.

303. In Mos-, i##iam G., Catholic Apologetics Today, Ro'k*ord, I: 8 ooks, 1946, 92.

30. %i-ed in enson, ibid. , 116! *rom Mansi, , 1212.

30+. H/(&es, HG%, 71.306. 8eAman, ibid., "ar- 2, '&. 6, se'. 3, nos. 1112,1.

307. In En(#er-, %#emen- %., Catholics and /rthodo01 Can They =niteB, 8: "a/#is- "ress, 1961, 99.

304. orks o*

Documents

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