Lanterna Rally

Author: Various Catholic Priests

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2016-06-09

Total Pages: 204

ISBN-13: 9781534602045

WHEN Catholic Dogma is mentioned there are those who ask, is it worth while to spend time in discussing dogma when there is so tl1uch, york to be done? Give your mind and your labor, they say, to the rescue and help of the wretched and the depraved, the sinful and the unfortunate; go and practise toward them that love which is the fulfilling of the law; but do not waste your energies upon disputations about creeds. Yet the Church has always occupied itself very largely with dogma, and has strenuously insisted upon the importance of it. With a world to convert, S. Paul filled his letters chiefly with dogma. In the tremendous decline and fall of the Roman empire, and wreck of civilization, the Church dwelt on dogma perpetually, and the Church was in earnest then as now to convert and save the world. In tilnes of reformation not only is righteousness of life emphasized, but the faith of the Church is scrutinized with the keenest criticism. Hoe does it happen that at specially critical times dogma is made so prominent in the Church's life? Inasmuch as it is the peculiar business of the Church, among all the institutions in the world, to teach Christianity, anything that it has uniformly held to be matter of highest importance has a strong a priori claim upon our attention. We cannot excuse ourselves for not attending to it by saying that: it does not interest us. If it be important it is our duty to attend to it. If it make any difference 'whether we believe one thing or another, we are bound to find out what the truth is and to maintain it. In determining whether it is worth while to spend our time in studying and discussing the dognlas of Christianity, we need first to see clearly what Christianity really is. If it were merely a system of conduct, or a system of conduct and worship, much might fairly be said in disparagement of creeds and theology. The fulfilling of the law is love to God and love to man; why trouble ourselves with anything more? A popular expression of the day is that Christianity is a life and not a doctrine; therefore, it is urged, let us devote all our energies to right living and not mind the disputations of the schools