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The
Ad Tuendam Fidem
The following is a Catholic News Service (CNS) translation by
Jesuit Fr. Ladislas Orsy of Pope John Paul II's Latin-language
apostolic letter Ad Tuendam Fidem (To Defend the Faith), dated
May 18 and made public June 30 at the Vatican. This text is made
available to NCR from CNS, which will publish the document in full in
Origins, July 16 1998. For information on how to obtain a printed
copy, you may call CNS at (202) 541-3291.
To protect the Catholic faith against errors arising on the part of
some of the Christian faithful, in particular among those who
studiously dedicate themselves to the discipline of sacred theology,
it appeared highly necessary to us, whose principal task is to confirm
the brethren in faith (cf. Luke 22:32), to add new norms to the text
of the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches currently in force. The purpose of the new norms is to impose
expressly the duty to preserve the truths proposed definitively by the
magisterium of the church and to institute canonical sanctions
concerning the same matter.
- From the earliest centuries to this day, the church has kept
confessing the truths concerning the faith of Christ and the mystery
of his redemption; as time progressed, these truths were collected
into the symbols of faith (creeds). Indeed today the Christian
faithful know and proclaim in common the Apostles' Creed or the
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in the solemn and festive
celebration of the Mass. This same Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed
is included in the profession of faith, which has been further
elaborated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The
duty of making this profession of faith is imposed in particular on
certain Christian faithful: those who assume offices that directly
or indirectly are ordered to a deeper investigation into the truths
of faith and morals or that confer a special power connected with
the governance of the church.
- The profession of faith gives prime importance to the
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed; it includes also three propositions
or clauses. Their purpose is to explain the truths of the Catholic
faith, the truths that in later times were more deeply scrutinized
or in need of scrutiny by the church under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, "who will teach you all the truth" (John 16:13).
The first clause, which proclaims, "with firm faith I believe
as well everything contained in God's word, written or handed down
in tradition and proposed by the church -- whether in solemn
judgment or in the ordinary and universal magisterium -- as divinely
revealed and calling for faith," is congruently stated and has
its own legal expression in the universal legislation of the church
in Canon 750 of the Code of Canon Law and Canon 598 of the Code of
Canons of the Eastern Churches.
The third clause, which says, "what is more, I adhere with
religious obsequium of will and intellect to the teachings which
either the Roman pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when
they exercise the authentic magisterium, even if they proclaim those
teachings in an act that is not definitive," has its own place
in Canon 752 of the Code of Canon Law and in Canon 599 of the Code
of Canons of the Eastern Churches.
- The second clause, however, which says, "I also firmly
accept and hold each and every thing that is proposed by that same
church definitively with regard to teaching concerning faith or
morals," has no corresponding canon in the codes of the
Catholic Church. Yet this second clause of the profession of faith
is of great importance because it refers to truths necessarily
connected with divine revelation. Such truths manifest the
particular inspiration of the divine Spirit given to the church in
the exploration of Catholic doctrine and in the church's deeper
understanding of some truth concerning faith or morals. The truths
definitively stated and the truths revealed are intimately linked
either for historical reasons or through logical connection.
- Compelled, therefore, by the said necessity, we have decided to
fill this gap in the universal law in the following manner: A. Canon
750 of the Code of Canon Law henceforth will have two paragraphs:
The first will be the text of the present canon in force; the
second, however, will be a new text. The whole canon will read:
"Canon 750.1. All that is contained in the written
word of God or in tradition, that is, in the one deposit of faith
entrusted to the church and also proposed as divinely revealed
either by the solemn magisterium of the church or by its ordinary
and universal magisterium, must be believed with divine and
Catholic faith; it is manifested by the common adherence of the
Christian faithful under the leadership of the sacred magisterium;
therefore, all are bound to avoid any doctrines whatever which are
contrary to these truths.
"Canon 750.2. Each and every proposition stated definitively
by the magisterium of the church concerning the doctrine of the
faith or morals, that is, each and every proposition required for
the sacred preservation and faithful explanation of the same
deposit of faith, must also be firmly embraced and maintained;
anyone, therefore, who rejects those propositions which are to be
held definitively is opposed to the doctrine of the Catholic
Church."
In Canon 1371 of the Code of Canon Law a reference to Canon 750.2
should be added accordingly so that from now on the full text of
Canon 1371 will read:
"Canon 1371 -- The following are to be punished
with a just penalty:
"1. Besides the situation mentioned in Canon 1364.1, a
person who teaches a doctrine condemned by the Roman pontiff or by
an ecumenical council or who pertinaciously rejects the doctrine
mentioned in Canon 750.2 or in Canon 752 and who does not make a
retraction after having been admonished by the Apostolic See or by
the ordinary.
"2. A person who wrongly does not otherwise comply with the
legitimate precepts or prohibitions of the Apostolic See, the
ordinary or the superior and who persists in disobedience after a
warning."
Canon 598 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches henceforth
will have two paragraphs: The first will consist of the text of the
present canon in force; the other will have a new text so that the
whole of Canon 598 will read:
"Canon 598.1. All that is contained in the written
word of God or in tradition, that is, in the one deposit of faith
entrusted to the church and also proposed as divinely revealed
either by the solemn magisterium of the church or by its ordinary
and universal magisterium, must be believed with divine and
Catholic faith; it is manifested by the common adherence of the
Christian faithful under the leadership of the sacred magisterium;
therefore, all are bound to avoid any doctrines whatever which are
contrary to these truths.
"Canon 598.2. Each and every proposition that is stated
definitively by the magisterium of the church concerning the
doctrine of faith or morals, that is, each and every proposition
required for the sacred preservation and faithful explanation of
the same deposit of faith, must also be firmly embraced and
maintained; anyone, therefore, who rejects those propositions
which are to be held definitively is opposed to the doctrine of
the Catholic Church."
Accordingly, in Canon 1436.2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches, words are to be added referring to Canon 598.2, so that
from now on Canon 1436 as a whole will read:
"Canon 1436.1. One who denies a truth which must
be believed with divine and Catholic faith, or who calls it into
doubt, or who totally repudiates the Christian faith, and does not
retract it after having been legitimately warned, is to be
punished as a heretic or an apostate with major excommunication; a
cleric moreover can be punished with other penalties, not
excluding deposition.
"Canon 1436.2. In addition to these cases, whoever
obstinately rejects a doctrine that has been proposed as to be
held definitively by the Roman pontiff or the college of bishops
exercising the authentic magisterium, or professes a doctrine that
has been condemned as erroneous and does not retract it after
having been legitimately warned, is to be punished with an
appropriate penalty."
- We command that whatever we have declared in this apostolic
letter given motu
proprio be held for firm and ratified. We order also that
all of it be incorporated into the universal legislation of the
Catholic Church, that is, into the Code of Canon Law and the Code of
Canons of the Eastern Churches; anything whatsoever to the contrary
notwithstanding.
Given in Rome, at St. Peter's, May 18, 1998, in the 20th year of our
pontificate.
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