11/6/2016 Dogma,Doctrine,andTheology:WhatAreThey?

Dogma,Doctrine,andTheology:WhatAreThey?

Whatisthedierencebetweendogmaanddoctrine?

Whatisthedierencebetweendoctrineandtheology?

Forthatmatter,whatisthedierencebetweendogmaandtheology?

Wehaveasensethatallthreeofthesetermsareconnectedwithreligiousbelief,butwhatspecicallydotheymean,andhowdothey
dierfromoneanother?

Thatswhatweregoingtotrytosortout!

Letsgetstarted...

TheDierenceIllustrated
IfyouGooglethethreetermsontheVaticanwebsite(www.Vatican.va),youndthattheydonotappearwiththesamefrequency.
Whiledogmaandtheologyoccuraboutasoftenaseachother,thetermdoctrineappearsfarmorefrequently(about2.5timesas
often).HerearetheresultsasofthedayIoriginallyperformedthistest(9/8/12):

Dogma:2,340results

Doctrine:6,510results

Theology:2,580results

Thefactthatthesetermsdontalloccurwithequalfrequencyindicatesadierenceinthewaythatthetermsareused.Butwhatisthe
dierence?

Isitjustthattheyhavedierentconnotationsthatdoctrinesoundsbetterandsoitgetsusedmorefrequently?oristhereadierence
inthebasicmeaningsoftheterms?

TheOriginalMeaningoftheTerms
Acommonwayoftryingtogureoutthemeaningofwordsisbylookingattheoriginofthewordwhatitoriginallymeant.Among
linguists,thisisknownasthewordsetymology.

Whatistheoriginalmeaningofourthreeterms?

Dogma:ThisisderivedfromtheGreekworddogma,whichmeansopinion.Inourcontext,itwouldmeanopinionsaboutGodor
opinionsderivingfromGod.

Doctrine:ThisisderivedfromtheLatinworddoctrina,whichmeansteaching.Inourcontext,itwouldrefertoteachingaboutGod
orteachingderivedfromGod.

Theology:ThisisacompoundoftwoGreekterms:theos,whichmeansGod,andlogos,whichmeansword.Thesuxlogy,
however,cametomeanstudyof,andsotheologycouldbeunderstoodtomeanthestudyofGod.

Thisexerciseshedssomelightonourquestion,butnotenough.

Theultimateoriginofaworddoesnottellushowitisbeingusedtoday.

Aslinguistsarefondofpointingout,themeaningofawordisdeterminedbyits(current)usage,notits(historical)origin.

Otherwisethetermnice,whichderivesfromtheLatintermnescius,wouldmeanfoolishorstupid(itsmeaninginOldFrench)orat
leastignorantorunknowing,fromitsLatinrootsne(not)andscire(toknow).

Thus,settingasidetheoriginalrootsofdogma,doctrine,andtheology,howaretheyusedtoday?

TheCatechismsGlossaryonTheology
http://jimmyakin.com/dogmadoctrineandtheologywhatarethey 1/4
11/6/2016 Dogma,Doctrine,andTheology:WhatAreThey?

TheCatechismsGlossaryonTheology
MostEnglisheditionsoftheCatechismoftheCatholicChurchcarryaglossarywhichprovidesdenitionsforthethreeterms.Hereis
howitdenestheology:

THEOLOGY:ThestudyofGod,basedondivinerevelation(236,2033,2038).

ThenumbersattheendofthisentryrefertoparagraphsintheCatechismthatdealwiththeology,butthebasicdenitionisThestudy
ofGod,basedondivinerevelation.

Thisdenitionisveryclosetotheonewewouldsuspectbasedonthewordsorigin:thestudyofGod.Itaddsthatthisstudyisbased
ondivinerevelationratherthan(forexample)merelyphilosophicalarguments.

Itsabroaddenition.

Youwillnotethatitdoesnotmentionwhoisdoingthestudy.

Thereisnomention,forexample,oftheMagisterium(teachingauthority)oftheChurch.AnyonewhoisstudyingGodinlightofdivine
revelationwouldseemtobedoingtheology,accordingtotheglossaryoftheCatechism.

WhereDidtheGlossaryComeFrom?
Itisworthnoting,atthispoint,thattheCatechismsglossarycameaboutinaspecicway.

AccordingtotheUSCCBwebsite:

EvenbeforethepromulgationoftheCatechismoftheCatholicChurch,aGlossaryhadbeenproposedtoprovideassistancetothose
whowouldusethenewCatechism.ThisGlossaryhasbeenpreparedbyArchbishopWilliamJ.Levada,whoservedasamemberofthe
EditorialCommitteeoftheSpecialCommissionoftheHolySeefortheCatechismoftheCatholicChurch.Ithasbeenreviewedbythe
NCCBadhocCommitteetoOverseetheUseoftheCatechism,aswellasbythechairmanandstaoftheNCCBCommitteeon
Doctrine....

ItisimportanttorememberthatthisGlossary,liketheCatechismsIndexes,isanadditionalinstrumentbywhichreadersmaynd
assistanceintheiruseoftheCatechismitself.WhiletheGlossaryisfaithfultothelanguageoftheCatechism,itdoesnotparticipate
intheapprovalofthetextoftheCatechismgivenintheApostolicConstitutionFideidepositumofPopeJohnPaulII[Source].

DespitethefactthatitdoesnthavethesamekindofapprovalthattheCatechismdoes,andsotheglossaryisnotonthesamelevelas
theCatechism,itstillservesasausefulguidetohowtheChurchusesthetermsthatitcovers.

Sowhatdoestheglossarysayaboutthelattertwoterms:doctrineanddogma?

TheCatechismsGlossaryonDoctrineandDogma
HereiswhattheCatechismsglossarysaysregardingdoctrineanddogma:

DOCTRINE/DOGMA:TherevealedteachingsofChristwhichareproclaimedbythefullestextentoftheexerciseoftheauthorityof
theChurchsMagisterium.ThefaithfulareobligedtobelievethetruthsordogmascontainedindivineRevelationanddenedbythe
Magisterium(88).

Thisdenitionisnotashelpfulasitcouldbe,andthatsunderstandable.Itstryingtogetacrosssomeverytechnicalconceptsinavery
smallnumberofwords,anditstryingtodoitasnontechnicallyaspossible.

Italsoappearstousethetermsdoctrineanddogmaassynonymsmeaningthesamething.

Theymightwellmeanthesamethinginsomecontexts,butaswewillsee,itiseasytodemonstratefromcontemporaryChurch
documentsthattheyarealsouseddierently.

TheCatechismonDogma
Theglossarysdenitionpointsustoparagraph88oftheCatechismitself,whichsays:

http://jimmyakin.com/dogmadoctrineandtheologywhatarethey 2/4
11/6/2016 Dogma,Doctrine,andTheology:WhatAreThey?

88TheChurchsMagisteriumexercisestheauthorityitholdsfromChristtothefullestextentwhenitdenesdogmas,thatis,whenit
proposes,inaformobligingtheChristianpeopletoanirrevocableadherenceoffaith,truthscontainedindivineRevelationoralso
whenitproposes,inadenitiveway,truthshavinganecessaryconnectionwiththese.

Thishastobeparsedwithsomecare.TheCatechismisstatingthatTheChurchsMagisteriumexercisestheauthorityitholdsfrom
Christtothefullestextentintwoways:

1)whenitdenesdogmas,thatis,whenitproposes,inaformobligingtheChristianpeopletoanirrevocableadherenceoffaith,
truthscontainedindivineRevelation,and

2)whenitproposes,inadenitiveway,truthshavinganecessaryconnectionwiththese.

ThesearethetwokindsofpropositionsthattheChurchmayinfalliblydene:dogmasandthosetruthsthathaveanecessaryconnection
withthem.

Wereatthepointofhavingabasicdenitionofwhatdogmasare:[a]truthscontainedindivinerevelationand[b]thathavebeen
proposedbytheMagisteriuminaformobligingtheChristianpeopletoanirrevocableadherenceoffaith.

Or,asCardinalAveryDullesexplains:

IncurrentCatholicusage,thetermdogmameans[a]adivinelyrevealedtruth,[b]proclaimedassuchbytheinfallibleteaching
authorityoftheChurch,andhencebindingonallthefaithfulwithoutexception,nowandforever.[TheSurvivalofDogma,153].

Thisisafairlynontechnicalwayofpresentingthestandardformulationofwhatadogmais,thoughwhenchurchmenandtheologians
talkamongthemselves,thereisanotherwayofputtingit.

AnotherExplanation
Thetermofartthatisusedtoexpresstheideaofadogmaisthatitisatruthwhichmustbebelievedwithdivineandcatholicfaith
(Latin,desdivinaetcatholica).ThisformulationisfoundintheFirstVaticanCouncil,whichheld:

Wherefore,bydivineandCatholicfaithallthosethingsaretobebelievedwhichare[a]containedinthewordofGodasfoundin
Scriptureandtradition,and[b]whichareproposedbytheChurchasmatterstobebelievedasdivinelyrevealed,whetherbyher
solemnjudgmentorinherordinaryanduniversalmagisterium[DeiFilius3:8].

Notethetwocriteria[a]and[b],whichidentifythepropositionsthatmustbebelievedwithdivineandcatholicfaith.Thesearethesame
twoconditions,expressedinslightlydierentwords,asthosefoundintheglossarytotheCatechism.

WendasimilarformulationintheCodeofCanonLaw,whichprovides:

Can.7501.ApersonmustbelievewithdivineandCatholicfaithallthosethings[a]containedinthewordofGod,writtenor
handedon,thatis,intheonedepositoffaithentrustedtotheChurch,and[b]atthesametimeproposedasdivinelyrevealedeither
bythesolemnmagisteriumoftheChurchorbyitsordinaryanduniversalmagisteriumwhichismanifestedbythecommon
adherenceoftheChristianfaithfulundertheleadershipofthesacredmagisterium;thereforeallareboundtoavoidanydoctrines
whatsoevercontrarytothem.

Theseareconvergingwaysofsayingthesamething.Butwhythetermdivineandcatholicfaith?

DivineandCatholicFaith
HerethecurrentCanonLawSocietyofAmericacommentaryhasahelpfulexplanation:

ThefaithiscalleddivinebecauseitrespondstoGodsselfrevelation,andcatholicbecauseitisproposedbytheChurchasdivinely
revealed[NewCommentaryontheCodeofCanonLaw,914].

DivinefaithisthustheresponseduetoGodsrevelation.WhateveriscontainedintheChurchsdepositoffaith,whetherinsacred
ScriptureorsacredTradition,isdivinelyrevealedandcallsforbeliefasamatteroffaithinGodastheRevealeroftheparticulartruth.If
Godsaysit,weareobligatedtobelieveit.

http://jimmyakin.com/dogmadoctrineandtheologywhatarethey 3/4
11/6/2016 Dogma,Doctrine,andTheology:WhatAreThey?

CatholicfaithiscalledforwhenevertheChurchhasinfalliblyproposedsomethingasdivinelyrevealedinawaythatbindsallofthe
faithful.

Thesetwothuscorrespondtoheconditions[a]and[b]foundinthelesstechnicaldenitionsofwhatadogmais.

Youllnotethatitispossibleforsomethingtorequiretherstresponsewithoutthesecond.AnythingthatGodhasrevealedthrough
ScriptureorTradition,whethertheChurchhasinfalliblyproposeditassuchornot,callsfordivinefaith.Butbecauseitcanbedicultfor
ustocorrectlyidentifyandunderstandGodsrevelation,hehasgiventheChurchthegiftofinfallibilitysoitcanclearupdisputesand
misunderstandings.

Becauseofthegiftofinfallibilityindeningmattersoffaithandmorals,whentheChurchdoesinfalliblyproclaimsomethingasdivinely
revealed,italwaysis.

Doctrinevs.Dogma
IntheCatechismsglossaryitseemedtosuggestthatthetermsdoctrineanddogmacanbeusedsynonymously,butalookatother
documentsrevealsthatthisisnotalwaysthecase.Forexample,theCodeofCanonlawprovides:

Can.7493.Nodoctrineisunderstoodasdenedinfalliblyunlessthisismanifestlyevident.

Thisindicatesawideruseofthetermdoctrine,becausealldogmasareinfalliblydened.Yethereitisindicatedthatthereare
doctrineswhicharenottoberegardedasinfalliblydened.

Thesameisindicatedafewcanonslater:

Can.752Althoughnotanassentoffaith,areligioussubmissionoftheintellectandwillmustbegiventoadoctrinewhichthe
SupremePontiorthecollegeofbishopsdeclaresconcerningfaithormoralswhentheyexercisetheauthenticmagisterium,evenif
theydonotintendtoproclaimitbydenitiveact;therefore,theChristianfaithfularetotakecaretoavoidthosethingswhichdo
notagreewithit.

TheChurchsinfallibilityisengagedwhenthepopeorthecollegeofbishopsproclaimsadoctrineoffaithormoralsbyadenitiveact
(CIC74912),soagainwehaveanindicationthattheMagisteriumcanproclaimadoctrine...concerningfaithormoralsinanon
infallibleandthusanondogmaticway.

Itthusappearsthattherearesomedoctrinesthatfallintotherealmofdogmaandothersthatdont,eitherbecausetheyarenot
infalliblyproclaimedbytheChurchorbecausetheyarenotinfalliblyproclaimedasdivinelyrevealed(theymightmerelybethings
necessarilyconnectedwithrevealedtruthsseeabove).

PuttingItAllTogether
Withthisasbackground,weareinapositiontoseehowdogma,doctrine,andtheologyarerelated.

Thebroadestcategoryistheology,anditincludesanystudyofGodbasedondivinerevelation.

TheologydoesnotrequireanactionoftheMagisterium.Itcanbedonebyordinarytheologiansor,forthatmatter,byordinarymembers
ofthefaithful.

Morenarrowisthecategoryofdoctrine.ThisincludesthoseteachingswhichareproposedbytheMagisterium.

WhileanordinarytheologianmaybeabletodoCatholictheology,heisnotabletoformCatholicdoctrine.Theinterventionofthe
Magisteriumisnecessaryforthat.

Mostnarrowisthecategoryofdogma.ThisincludesthosedoctrineswhichtheMagisteriumdenitively(infallibly)proposesasdivinely
revealedandwhichare,therefore,divinelyrevealed.

Onestillhastobesensitivetothewaythatthesewordsarebeingusedincontext.Theyhavenotalwayshadtheseprecisemeanings,so
theymaynotbeusedthiswayinhistoricaldocuments.Eventodaytheyaresometimesusedindierentsenses.Butthisprovidesabasic
sketchoftheprinciplesinvolvedinhowthethreerelate.

http://jimmyakin.com/dogmadoctrineandtheologywhatarethey 4/4