Erose
Newbie
This discussion may derail the thread a little, but I think it is worthwhile. There are some confusion that occurs when it comes to what is doctrine (and dogma) and theological speculation or opinion around those doctrines (and dogmas).Agreed, some of the issues like transubstantiation and the nature of purgatory were more medieval developments that have since kind of been discarded or at least not pushed in the last century. Pope-Emeritus Ratzinger wrote:
In the Western tradition, this intermediate state is called “Purgatory.” The Eastern church has not followed the path of Western theology with its clarification of the final destiny of man. The East clung to that form of the idea of the intermediate state reached by the lifetime of John Chrysostom (who died in 407). For this reason, the doctrine of Purgatory functioned as an article dividing the churches at the attempted ecumenical reunions of Lyons in 1274 and Ferrara-Florence in 1439. Naturally enough, the point around which disagreement centered was not the same as a century later with the Reformers. The Greeks rejected the idea of punishment and atonement taking place in the afterlife, yet they shared with the church of the West the practice of interceding for the dead by prayer, alms, good works, and, most notably, the offering of the Eucharist for their repose.
For example, when it comes to lets say what happens to babies who die without baptism for example. In all reality we have no idea what happens to these babies. We don't. The Deposit of Faith doesn't answer that question, nor does it give us enough information to ascertain through logic what happens to these babies. But the question has been risen, well, since probably right after the Apostles all went to their award. And what do we get? Theologians and churchmen giving their opinions on the matter and some of those opinions take root, and become popular, and seem to those who are not fluent in theology to become practically doctrine. For example, the concept of Limbo was popular for quite a long time during the Middle Ages. Some theologians proposed that they do go to hell, but won't suffer the pains of hell. Which really never became very popular, I believe. Today the popular opinion (and you will hear people say the Church teaches) is that these babies will go to heaven. The Church doesn't teach this. It isn't a part of the Deposit of Faith; but it is a very popular opinion, even by some popes, and thus people begin to think that it is a doctrine.
This does happen, because we as humans want answers to our questions; and a lot of times we as humans are just too prideful to just accept that we don't know and will not know until perhaps we go to our award, if God decides to reveal this to us.
Many devotions to purgatory for example have accepted theological opinions as de facto doctrine; where when you look at the official teaching of the Church is that Purgatory is a state of purification after death, to prepare those who die in a state of grace, but are not perfected, to see God; and that these souls benefit from the prayers of those they left behind. That is it. This is all that can be ascertain from the Deposit of Faith. Anything else is speculation or theological opinion.
Upvote
0
