Monday, June 1, 2020

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