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July 06, 2005
Ch. I. Q.6. Theological Sources
THE chief sources of theological data are (a) the physical sciences, so far as they indicate the existence and attributes of God and the manner Divine operations;1 (b) Anthropology, so far as it treats of the moral and religious nature and history of man;2 (c) revealed truth, or the Catholic Faith, contained in the Sacred Scriptures, summed up in the Creeds, and affirmed by the undisputed general councils. 3
2. The original source of knowledge concerning such truths as surpass our natural ability to discover is a series of progressive and supernatural revelations from God through His prophets and Incarnate Word, attested by miracles. But the immediate source of such knowledge on our part is the testimony of the Church, which has been constituted "the pillar and ground of the truth." This testimony does not take the place of the Sacred Scriptures, but furnishes us with sure guidance in their doctrinal interpretation.4
3. The testimony or "voice" of the Church is to be ascertained primarily from the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Symbols, which furnish the premises of Christian thought.
4. The Creeds do not set the bounds of Christian thought, but furnish it with proper points of departure. Christian thought is true "free thought," as opposed to all that is falsely so called.5
5. The Creeds do not explicitly contain all that the Church teaches, nor all that her members are under obligations to believe. She utters her "voice" in various ways — in the decrees of her undisputed General Councils, and at all times in her unformulated common consent; but especially in her Liturgy, Ecclesiastical Calendar, and other permanent institutions. Theologians must study all of these, and the writings of the great Catholic Doctors of all ages, in order to avoid error.6
1 Clarke, Outline of Theol., pp. 50-53. Cf. Acts xiv. 15-17; xvii. 22-29; Rom. i. 18-22; Ps. xix. 1-4.
2 Clarke, pp. 48-50. Cf. Gen. i. 26, 27; Rom. ii. 14-16.
3 Lambeth Conference, 1878, Introd. to Resolutions.
4 Palmer, The Church, Pt. III., ch. iii., v.; cf. Qq. ix., xi. See also Matt. xxviii. 19, 20; I. Tim. iii. 15.
5 Garbett, Dogmatic Faith, pp. 22-26; Green, The Church, pp. 139-141; Liddon, Univ. Serms., 1st Series, iv., pp. 67-78. Cf. John viii. 31, 32.
6 Stanton, Place of Authority, pp. 175-187; Owen, Dogmatics, pp. 50-63.
Posted by Debra Bullock at July 6, 2005 03:45 PM
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