Dogma vs Doctrine.

[RaylightI]

What is the difference between Dogma and Doctrine in the Catholic Church? Which one can "change or develop" and which one can't?

From Catholic Answers website, doctrine is different than dogma. From EWTN, as usual, the response is too complicated and really didn't make any sense to me

 

[Gnarwhal]

I got this from Catholic.com, it seems fairly succinct:

In general, doctrine is all Church teaching in matters of faith and morals. Dogma is more narrowly defined as that part of doctrine which has been divinely revealed and which the Church has formally defined and declared to be believed as revealed.

http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/what-is-the-difference-between-doctrine-and-dogma

 

[Athanasias]

dogma is infallibly defined doctrine(or teaching). both doctrine and dogma can develop as the Holy Spirit can give one a deeper glimpse into the mystery of it in time but it develops organically like an acorn to an oaktree and does not radically change the substantial teaching ever. For example we can be given a deeper glimpse into the mystery of the Trinity in 500 years from now if God wills it and we will understand a bit more about it but it will never radically change its essence. There will never be a Quadrinity for example.

Another example is only men can be ministerial priest(an infallible truth St. John Paul II spoke on). So we may get a deeper look at why into the future but it will never radically change so that women will one day become priest. This is one way the Holy Spirit protects the doctrines of the Church throughout history so we can always know the truth as He will lead the Church into all truth( Jn 16:12-14) and truth does not radically change. I hope that helps.

 

[St Faustina]

The term "doctrine" comes from the Latin word doctrina, which simply means "teaching."

As used today, though, the word means a bit more than that. Ideas developed by a faithful Catholic theologian may represent Catholic theology but that does not make them Catholic doctrine.

For that the intervention of the Magisterium is needed, so a basic definition of the term is that a doctrine is a proposition (or set of propositions) taught by the Magisterium of the Church.

In some cases the term "doctrine" may be used to refer to things that have been infallibly taught by the Magisterium. It may even be used as a synonym for "dogma," but it is easy to show that this is not always the case.

For example, the Code of Canon Law provides that:

Can. 749 §3. No doctrine is understood as defined infallibly unless this is manifestly evident.

All dogmas are infallibly defined, so this reveals that there can be doctrines that are not infallible and thus some doctrines are not dogmas.

Then there is also Disciplines which can and have changed. For example: unmarried Western Catholic priests is a discipline. It could change but highly unlikely. Eastern Catholic priests are allowed to be married.

 

[Rhamiel]

there are developments in doctrine
but they are still true
there are different points of view

like "no salvation outside the Church"
over the centuries, there are different POVs on that
it is not rigidly defined

Dogma is more rigid in definition

also, many doctrines have the element of "mystery" in them
I mean that in the theological sense, like the Trinity is a holy mystery
that does not mean we can't speak on it at all
but it means we can never fully understand it

also there are a range of acceptable views within Orthodoxy
just because something can not be twisted beyond recognition

 

[stage five]

Doctrine is the light that allows the faith to grow, dogma are the sheers that removed unwanted branches.

 

[Erose]

I think that one of the confusions that so many have, unless you are really deep into studying theology is that there are different levels of certainty when it comes to doctrine. Doctrine is what we teach. There are doctrines that are dogmas, which means that they have been defined as infallible teachings by the Church, usually (not all) through an ecumenical council or ex cathedra. Thus they are the highest certainty of teaching of the Church. This doesn't mean that if a doctrine isn't dogma, that it is still debatable; some are, most aren't.