John P. Joy on Theological Notations in Catholicism

In his book, based on his dissertation on the extension of papal infallibility, John P. Joy has a useful table discussing various theologian notations. For those who interact with Catholic apologists, this will be useful to know the theological/authoritative weight behind certain doctrines:

 

De fide divina et catholica credenda	Dogma: A doctrine explicitly proposed by the Church as divinely revealed and requiring the assent of divine and Catholic faith.
De fide definitive teneda	Truth of Catholic Doctrine: A doctrine explicitly proposed by the Church as theologically certain and requiring the definitive assent of Catholic faith.
Religioso voluntatis et intellectus obsequio adhaerendam	Authentic Catholic Doctrine: A doctrine explicitly proposed by the Church as safe, probable, etc. and requiring a religious submission of will and intellect.
Sententia fidei proxima	A doctrine implicitly proposed by the Church as divinely revealed.
Sententia ad fidem pertinens	A doctrine implicitly proposed by the Church as theologically certain.
Sententia theologice certa	A doctrine in itself theologically certain on account of its connection with divine revelation, but not proposed as such by the Church.
Sententia communis	A free opinion regarding a matter of faith or morals about which theologians generally agree.
Sententia probabilis, probabilior, bene fundata, etc.	A free opinion which is probable, more probable, well founded, etc., depending upon the strength of the arguments adduced in its favour.

(John P. Joy, Cathedra Veritatis: On the Extension of Papal Infallibility [ed. Phillip Campbell; Howell, Mich.: Cruachan Hill Press, 2012], ix)

 

Elsewhere, we find another useful table (p. 20):

 

THEOLOGICAL NOTATION		Ecclesiastical Proposition
		Explicitly proposed as	Implicitly proposed as	Not proposed as
Divine Revelation	Divinely Revealed:	Dogma	Proximate to Faith	N/A
	Theologically Certain:	Truth of Catholic Doctrine	Pertaining to Faith	Theologically Certain
	Theologically Probable:	Authentic Catholic Teaching	Theologically Probable	Theologically Probable