ARE THERE SEVERAL KINDS OF HERESIES?
CHAPTER 17
Student That second opinion seems more in accord with the truth to me, but tell me whether those who affirm it include under those modes of heresy all the pestiferous errors which no believing christian is permitted to affirm.
Master They say that besides the afore-mentioned heresies there are some other deadly errors which nevertheless should not strictly be called heresies. They say that errors of this kind are those which are known to be opposed to ecclesiastical chronicles and histories worthy of trust and to demonstrated deeds of believers. There are still other errors which are shown to be incompatible with catholic truths together with ecclesiastical chronicles or histories worthy of trust and deeds which can not reasonably be denied. The following are of this kind, "The rules of religious are not catholic", "The faith of blessed Augustine was not true or sincere", and the like; and although taking the word "heresy" strictly they do not reckon that those errors should be counted among the heresies, they say nevertheless that they smack of manifest heresy, which is only to say that heresies properly so called follow from them and [i.e. together with] other truths which can not be denied. And therefore they say that those errors can broadly be called heresies.
Student Enumerate the general modes of pestiferous errors which, according to that second opinion, no catholic believer is permitted to defend pertinaciously.
Master There are five of these general modes, some of which contain several particular modes within them. The first of these consists of those [errors] which conflict with things contained solely in divine scripture, and it contains several particular modes, as is clear from what has been said above, and all those errors should be called heresies. The second consists of those [errors] which conflict in some way with apostolic teaching which is outside their writings, and that [mode] also contains several modes. The third consists of those [errors] which would in some way be opposed to things revealed to or inspired in the church after the apostles. The fourth consists of those [errors] which are contrary to chronicles, histories and deeds approved by the church. The fifth consists of those [errors] which are shown to be incompatible with divine scripture, or with the teaching of the apostles outside their writings, or with things inspired in or revealed to the church and [i.e. together with] other truths which can not be denied, even if by the form of the propositions they do not appear to be incompatible with things solely contained in divine scripture and apostolic teaching and things revealed to and inspired in the church, and those errors can properly be said to smack of manifest heresy, even if they should not be called heresies taking the word "heresy" strictly. An example of the latter is the following error, "The chastity of monks does not excel conjugal chastity". For in the form of its proposition that error does not conflict with anything contained in divine scripture or in apostolic teaching, if there were not monks then such as there are now, nor, as it seems, does it, also, even conflict with anything revealed to or inspired in the church. Yet it is known to be incompatible with things contained in divine scripture and indeed with the following, which can not be denied with any shifting, "Monks vow and observe perpetual continence for the sake of God", and therefore that error, even if it does not seem that it should be called a heresy taking that word strictly, does nevertheless smack of manifest heresy because from it and a certain clear truth manifest heresy does follow.
Comments
Post a Comment