Safeguarding
The
Faith...
All Catholic theologians
and teachers who are not teaching the truth of the Catholic Church are
hereby put on notice...
By His Holiness John Paul II
Anno Domini, 28 May 1998
Apostolic Letter given motu proprio by Pope John
Paul II
AD TUENDAM FIDEM,
by which certain norms are inserted into the Code of Canon Law and into
the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.
TO PROTECT THE FAITH of the Catholic Church against errors
arising from certain members of the Christian faithful, especially from
among those dedicated to the various disciplines of sacred theology, we,
whose principal duty is to confirm the brethren in the faith (Lk 22:32),
consider it absolutely necessary to add to the existing texts of the Code
of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, new norms
which expressly impose the obligation of upholding truths proposed in a
definitive way by the Magisterium of the Church, and which also establish
related canonical sanctions.
1. From the first centuries to the present day, the Church
has professed truths of her faith in Christ and the mystery of His redemption.
These truths which were subsequently gathered into the Symbols of the faith,
today known and proclaimed in common by the faithful in the solemn and
festive celebration of the Mass as the Apostle's Creed Nicene Constantinopolitan
Creed
This same Nicene-Constantinoplitan Creed is contained
in the Profession of Faith developed by the Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith, (1) which must be made by specific members of the faithful
when they receive an office, that is directly or indirectly related to
deeper investigation into the truths of faith and morals, or is united
to a particular power in the governance of the Church. (2)
2. The Profession of Faith, which appropriately begins
with the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, contains three propositions or
paragraphs intended to describe the truths of the Catholic faith, which
the Church, in the course of time and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit;
"who will teach her the whole truth;" (Jn 16:13), has ever more
deeply explored and will continue to explore. (3)
The first paragraph states: "With firm faith I also
believe everything contained in the word of God, whether written or handed
down in Tradition, which the Church, either by a solemn judgment or by
the ordinary and universal Magisterium sets forth to be believed as divinely
revealed." (4) This paragraph appropriately confirms and is provided
for in the Church's universal legislation, in canon 750 of the Code of
Canon Law (5) and in canon 598 of the of the Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches. (6)
The third clause states: "Moreover, I
adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to
the teachings which either the Roman Pontiff or
the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise their authentic
Magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim these teachings by
a definitive act." (7) This paragraph has its corresponding legislative
expression in canon 752 of the Code of Canon Law (8) and in canon 599 of
the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. (9)
3. The second paragraph, however, which states; "I
also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by
the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals, " (10) has
no corresponding canon in the Codes of the Catholic Church. This second
paragraph of the Profession of Faith is of utmost importance since it refers
to truths that are necessarily connected to divine revelation. These truths,
in the investigation of Catholic doctrine, illustrate the divine Spirit's
particular inspiration for the Church's deeper understanding of a truth
concerning faith and morals, with which they are connected either for historical
reasons or by a logical relationship.
4. Moved therefore by this need, and after careful deliberation,
we have decided to overcome this lacuna in the universal law in the following
way:
A) Canon 750 of the Code of Canon Law will now consist
of two paragraphs; the first will present the text of the existing canon;
the second will contain a new text. Thus, canon 750, in its complete form,
will read:
Canon 750:
1. Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are
contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition,
that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which
are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn
Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium,
which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful
under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All
are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
2. Furthermore,
each and everything set forth definitively by the
Magisterium of the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals must
be firmly accepted and held; namely, those things required for the holy
keeping and faithful exposition of the deposit of faith; therefore, anyone
who rejects propositions which are to be held definitively sets himself
against the teaching of the Catholic Church.
Canon 1371, n. 1 of the Code of Canon
Law, consequently, will receive an appropriate reference to canon 750 §
2, so that it will now read:
Canon 1371 – The
following are to be punished with a just penalty:
1. A person
who, apart from the case mentioned in canon 1364 § 1, teaches a doctrine
condemned by the Roman Pontiff, or by an Ecumenical Council, or obstinately
rejects the teachings mentioned in canon 750 § 2 or in canon 752 and,
when warned by the Apostolic See or by the Ordinary, does not retract;
2. A person
who in any other way does not obey the lawful command or prohibition of
the Apostolic See or the Ordinary or Superior and, after being warned,
persists in disobedience.
B) Canon 598 of the Code of Canons
of the Eastern Churches will now have two paragraphs: the first will present
the text of the existing canon and the second will contain a new text.
Thus canon 598, in its complete form, will read as follows:
Canon 598:
1. Those things are to be believed by divine and
catholic faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written
or handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted
to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed
either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and
universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence
of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All
Christian faithful are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
2. Furthermore,
each and everything set forth definitively by the
Magisterium of the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals must
be firmly accepted and held; namely, those things required for the holy
keeping and faithful exposition of the deposit of faith; therefore, anyone
who rejects propositions which are to be held definitively sets himself
against the teaching of the Catholic Church.
Canon 1436 of the Code of Canons of
the Eastern Churches, consequently, will receive an appropriate reference
to canon 598, so that it will now read:
Canon 1436:
1. Whoever denies a truth which must be believed
with divine and catholic faith, or who calls into doubt, or who totally
repudiates the Christian faith, and does not retract after having been
legitimately warned, is to be punished as a heretic or an apostate with
a major excommunication;
a cleric moreover can be punished with other penalties, not excluding deposition.
2. In addition
to these cases, whoever obstinately rejects a teaching that the Roman Pontiff
or the College of Bishops, exercising the authentic Magisterium, have set
forth to be held definitively, or who affirms what they have condemned
as erroneous, and does not retract after having been legitimately warned,
is to be punished with an appropriate penalty.
5. We order that everything decreed
by us in this Apostolic Letter, given motu proprio, be established and
ratified, and we prescribe that the insertions listed above be introduced
into the universal legislation of the Catholic Church, that is, into the
Code of Canon Law and into the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches,
all things to the contrary notwithstanding.
Given in Rome, at St Peter’s, on 28
May, in the year 1998, the twentieth of our Pontificate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE
OF THE FAITH, Profession
of Faith and Oath of Fidelity, (9 January 1989): AAS 81 (1989), 105.
(2) Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canon 833.
(3) Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canon 747;
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Canon 595.
(4) Cf. SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL
COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 25; Dogmatic
Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum, 5; CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE
OF THE FAITH, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian Donum
veritatis (24 May 1990), 15: AAS 82 (1990), 1556.
(5) Code of Canon Law, Canon 750 –
Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic faith which are
contained in the word of God as it has been written or handed down by tradition,
that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and which
are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn
Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and universal Magisterium,
which in fact is manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful
under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All are therefore bound to
avoid any contrary doctrines.
(6) Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches, Canon 598 – Those things are to be believed by divine and catholic
faith which are contained in the word of God as it has been written or
handed down by tradition, that is, in the single deposit of faith entrusted
to the Church, and which are at the same time proposed as divinely revealed
either by the solemn Magisterium of the Church, or by its ordinary and
universal Magisterium, which in fact is manifested by the common adherence
of Christ’s faithful under the guidance of the sacred Magisterium. All
Christian faithful are therefore bound to avoid any contrary doctrines.
(7) Cf. CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE
OF THE FAITH, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian Donum
veritatis (24 May 1990), 17: AAS 82 (1990), 1557.
(8) Code of Canon Law, Canon 752 –
While the assent of faith is not required, a religious submission of intellect
and will is to be given to any doctrine which either the Supreme Pontiff
or the College of Bishops, exercising their authentic Magisterium, declare
upon a matter of faith and morals, even though they do not intend to proclaim
that doctrine by definitive act. Christ’s faithful are therefore to ensure
that they avoid whatever does not accord with that doctrine.
(9) Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches, Canon 599 – While the assent of faith is not required, a religious
submission of intellect and will is to be given to any doctrine which either
the Supreme Pontiff or the College of Bishops, exercising their authentic
Magisterium, declare upon a matter of
faith and morals, even though they do not intend to proclaim that doctrine
by definitive act. Christ’s faithful are therefore to ensure that they
avoid whatever does not accord with that doctrine.
(10) Cf. CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE
OF THE FAITH, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian Donum
veritatis (24 May 1990), 16: AAS 82 (1990), 1557.
There you have it. Rome has finally
spoken. The issue is settled. Now the enforcement begins....and it begins
with each and everyone of us.
August 10, 1998
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