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-Constantinopolitan 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 every one of us.
August 10, 1998
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