Psalm 111 God's wise design and covenant faithfulness endure forever. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

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1 TRADITION (RCIA) /18 Introduction: note participants' backgrounds and personal histories. Address 'Sola Scriptura' concepts. Tradition includes Doctrine and Discipline, studied in more detail below. Creeds: are short summaries of doctrine used in our liturgies. The first Council of Nicaea in 325 gave us an early Creed and articles of Canon Law. The Nicene Creed was an early definition of Christian doctrine and has changed little since its formulation (Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) ). Doctrines, from Scripture and CCC: Psalm 111 God's wise design and covenant faithfulness endure forever. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Psalm 119 God's Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. Mt , keys, binding and loosing. Mt 23.2 Moses' seat of authority. Mt 28.18f the Apostles are commissioned. Lk 10.17, Jn 14.15f the Holy Spirit teaches the Apostles. 1 Cor 11.2 Maintain the traditions taught. 2 Thess 2.15 Hold the traditions you have been taught. 1 Tim 6.20 The bishop should guard what has been entrusted to him. 2 Tim Teach what you have heard from me, says St. Paul. Avoid evil, do not dispute about words. Correct opponents with kindness. 2 Tim Remain faithful to the Christian purpose. All Scripture is inspired by God, equipping the Christian for every good work. Titus A bishop should hold fast to the true message as taught. Heb Obey your leaders and defer to them...they will have to give an account. 2 Peter 1 We have not followed cunningly devised fables or myths. CCC Proclaim Christ in every place. The Gospel is handed down orally and in writing. Sacred Scripture is the speech of God written down. The Word of God and Deposit of Faith is given to the entire Church, whose Magisterium is the servant of Revelation. CCC Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium support each other. Canon of Scripture Confirmed as a List: 367 St. Athanasius 397 Aurelius At the Council of Rome in 382 AD, the Church decided on a canon of 46 OT books (including the Deuterocanonical books) and 27 NT books. This

2 decision was ratified and confirmed by the councils at Hippo (393), Carthage (397, 419), 2 Nicaea (787), Florence (1442) and Trent (1546). Also: 405 Pope Innocent Gelasian Decree 1546 Council of Trent 1870 Vatican Vatican 2 Councils: Ecumenical Councils of bishops in communion with the Pope define doctrine infallibly. For example, Nicaea 325, Carthage 397, Trent 1545 all define the Canon of Scripture. Nicaea 325 and Chalcedon 451 define Christological doctrines. Many other councils are important but are too many to cover in a limited time. So we move ahead in history to the nineteenth century. Vatican 1 in states that infallibility comes 'not from the consent of the Church,' and that infallible doctrines are 'irreformable of themselves.' The Vatican 1 formulation of infallibility was a compromise between the Ultramontanes and the Gallicans, the latter generally favoring national colleges of bishops over plenary papal authority. Vatican 1 also ruled against Modernism, made clear distinctions between areas of faith and reason, and clarified church-state relationships. Vatican 1 scattered hastily in October 1870 after war broke out between France and Prussia. French troops had been guarding Papal interests around Rome. These French troops left hurriedly to fight the Germans after Napoleon III was captured, leaving Rome undefended against the opportunistic Garibaldi and the Italian nationalists. Vatican 1 was vigorously opposed by Germany and Austria. Chancellor Bismarck began the 'Kulturkampf' in Germany against the Catholic Church, which he believed endangered German unity. Several Catholic bishops were imprisoned. By 1887 most German anti-catholic laws had been repealed, due to strong opposition from the German people. Note the parallels with Elizabethan England. Vatican 2 in made it a point to begin by formally closing Vatican 1. Many forces which disrupted Vatican 1 also led to the two World Wars, and arguably the subsequent Cold War. Vatican 2 changed our liturgy, encouraged ecumenism and evangelical

3 efforts, involved more lay activity, and promoted religious freedom. The thought of the American Jesuit John Courtney Murray contributed to advocacy of religious freedom. Christian unity was a primary goal of Vatican 2. Popes: Pius IX in an 1854 Papal Bull defined the Immaculate Conception, which had been suggested by the Council of Trent. Pius XII in 1950 defined the Assumption of Mary in a Papal Bull. Papal Bulls are infallible, as defined in Vatican 1, and are also signed by the College of Cardinals. Discipline: Discipline includes Church customs and local traditions that can be changed, often at the discretion of the local Bishop. Included are some aspects of liturgy, and some requirements for joining the Church, for marriage and related issues, and penances. One example of a changed discipline was eating fish instead of meat on Fridays. This is now done, at least in the US, primarily only during Lent. Bishops help provide a 'common frame of reference' (Mr. Spock) for logical discussion and application of disciplines. History: Note ancient secular background: Pagan Pantheon, Aristotle (Demiurge), Plato (Eternal Ideas culminating in the Logos), neo-platonists (emanations tending to monism, chains of being). Church history shows the working and growth of Tradition, and changes in Discipline. Outside of Sacred Tradition, there is often confusion about what the Bible means concerning crucial doctrines. The early Church Fathers include many canonized Saints. St. Augustine of Hippo Bishop from AD, Doctor of the Church. Showed a biblical basis for doctrines in the Creeds. Opposed Manichaeism, a Gnosticism which taught that Good and Evil are equally powerful opposing forces. His movement of thought away from his early adherence to Manicheism led to his concept of privative evil. St. Augustine's writings against the Manichaeans contain his clear views on the problem of evil: physical evil comes from the 'imperfect character' of creatures. Moral evil, 'the kind of evil that makes men evil', comes from free will. He opposed Arianism, Pelagianism. The latter denies original sin, makes freedom to choose a driver of righteousness without the need of Grace. His 'City of God' asserted and defended Christian faith, conduct and

4 morality, especially against the popular religions and superstitions of Rome. His 'Confessions' is noteworthy for its devotional candor and autobiographical sketches. History: more details follow as time permits. St. Augustine of Hippo, AD. He is one of the Doctors of the Church. He was born near what is now Bona in Algeria, which was the ancient Hippo-Regius. His father was pagan. His mother, St. Monica, was a devout Christian. He received a Christian education, but seems to have lost his faith while attending the University of Carthage. Development of his doctrine: His early adherence to Manicheism led to his concept of privative evil. Persian Mani's material dualism should be noted. St. Monica's role is important! He is converted to Christianity with help from the influence of St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, himself now a Doctor of the Church. St. Augustine insists that true philosophy = Christianity. He is baptized at Easter 387. He became a Catholic priest in 391, sole Bishop of Hippo in 396. St. Augustine's writings against the Manichaeans contain his clear views on the problem of evil, views based on an optimism proclaiming, like the Platonists, that every work of God is good and that the only source of moral evil is the liberty of creatures (City of God 19.13). Physical evil comes from the 'imperfect character' of creatures. Moral evil, 'the kind of evil that makes men evil', comes from free will. 400 approximately Donatist Controversy had been ongoing since about 300. Donatists argued that the Church should be holy, and therefore sacraments conferred by 'traitors' were invalid. Donatists were seen as reactionaries or zealots, and made several attempts on the Bishop's life. Against the Donatists, St. Augustine insisted that the Church contains both good and bad men. The bad are there to hear the gospel and be converted, to grow in grace. Sacraments are conferred by Christ, so are not weakened by the unworthiness of the minister. Note that St. Augustine's position defends the sacraments but does not excuse sin. The Church had long affirmed the Canon of Scripture, including the Ten Commandments. St. Augustine elaborated that the state or civil power should use justice to help enforce the good, which includes worship of the true God. St. Augustine approved of just wars, but deprecated use of the death penalty. Note that converts to Donatism were rebaptized! Their gradual assimilation into Islam no doubt weakened the Christian community in

5 North Africa. 410 Rome falls. St. Augustine's book City of God is his reply and extended apologetic against those who claimed that Christianity weakened the Roman Empire and therefore hastened its fall. 410 St. Augustine enters the controversy against the Pelagians, who insisted that freedom of the will is not compatible with the Catholic doctrine of original sin. St. Augustine's federal theology insists that we inherit original sin from Adam's fall, and that salvation comes by the grace of God. Pelagius' view of freedom implies that man is perfectible. St. Augustine's view of sin implies that man's free will needs God's grace for proper functioning. 418 Council of Carthage condemned Pelagians for their attacks on original sin. St. Augustine's doctrine of the Fall and Original Sin was affirmed. 430 St. Augustine dies of natural causes at age 76, as the Vandals besiege Hippo. 431 Council of Ephesus condemns Pelgian and Nestorian heresies. Extreme predestination was also rejected. 529 Second Council of Orange upholds St. Augustine's doctrines of grace, while repudiating any predestination of man to evil. 531 Pope Boniface 2 confirms the decisions of Orange 2. Pelagian Controversy Notes: The system of St. Augustine in opposition to Pelagianism rests on three fundamental principles: God is absolute Master, by His grace, of all the determinations of the will; Man remains free, even under the action of grace; The reconciliation of these two truths rests on the manner of the Divine government. Grace is not an irresistible impulse impressed by the stronger on the weaker. It is an appeal, a persuasion. (Catholic Encyclopedia) St. Augustine's idea that God knows the free responses to grace of each human soul was later amplified by Molinism, and has details that are still not decided. Contrasts with Molinism and Thomism may be

6 noted. Between the extremes of Pelagianism and double Predestination (later Calvinism) Augustine formulated (but did not invent) the Catholic dogma, which affirms these two truths at the same time: The eternal choice of the elect by God is very real, very gratuitous, and constitutes the grace of graces; but this decree does not destroy the Divine will to save all men, which, moreover, is not realized except by the human liberty that leaves to the elect full power to fall and to the non-elect full power to rise. (Catholic Encyclopedia) In modern terms, and no doubt over-simplifying reality, God's infinite knowledge can see the cross-product of all possible states of grace for all souls. All can be saved if they wish, and God knows their wishes. In general the God Who loves a cheerful giver eschews coercion. The Council of Trent maintained pure Augustinianism by its definitions against the two opposite excesses. Against Pelagianism it reaffirmed original sin and the absolute necessity of grace (Sess. 6, can. 2); against Protestant predestinationism it proclaimed the freedom of man, with his double power of resisting grace (posse dissentire si velit Sess. 6, can. 4) and of doing good or evil, even before embracing the Faith (can. 6 and 7). (Catholic Encyclopedia) Pope Clement 8 in the De Auxiliis controversy ( ) intervened to stop strife on this subject between the Dominicans and the Jesuits. In 1607 his successor Paul 5, at the advice of St. Francis de Sales, wrote to the Dominicans, 'You may not call the Jesuits Arminians,' and to the Jesuits, 'You may not call the Dominicans Calvinists.' The Brief of Benedict 14 (13 July, 1748) declares that the three schools Thomist, Augustinian, and Molinist have full rights to defend their theories. The Brief concludes with these words: "This Apostolic See favours the liberty of the schools; none of the systems proposed to reconcile the liberty of man with the omnipotence of God has been thus far condemned." (Catholic Encyclopedia) Copyright (C) 2013-present by David Hewins. All rights except fair use quotations from the Catholic Encyclopedia are reserved. This page may not be reproduced for commercial purposes. EOF