Roman Catholic theology is the systematic study of God, revelation, the Church, salvation, the sacraments, and Christian life within the Roman Catholic tradition. At its center are faith in one God, the Trinity, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, his atoning death and bodily resurrection, the work of the Holy Spirit, the Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal life.
The theology undergirding these various doctrines and practices rests on two foundations: the nature-grace interdependence and the Christ-Church interconnection. Roman Catholic theology is built upon these two foundations. Protestant theology, in particular, disagrees with these axioms, having its own Reformation principles encapsulated in its five solas: Scripture alone, Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone, God’s glory alone.
The meaning and purpose of theology
In the 11th century, St. Anselm of Canterbury described theology as fides quaerens intellectum, “faith seeking understanding.” A monk who eventually served as archbishop of Canterbury, he reminds us that our thinking skills are a gift of the Creator; there is no reason to neglect them in matters of faith.
For Anselm, theology presumes faith. In other words, theology is an exercise of faith, a way of being faithful, and a way of living one’s faith. It is not synonymous with catechesis, which is passing on or instructing others in faith. This is because one who does theology has presumably already been catechized and convinced of the truth of Christian faith.
The Greek origins of our word “theology” seem to remind us of this: theos (“God”) and logos (“word”). In the fullest sense, perhaps theology can best be understood as the act of thinking deeply about the God we profess. Thinking critically about God, therefore, really means to take God quite seriously.
Although a professional theologian makes a career out of doing theology (usually in colleges and universities), all believers spend a certain amount of time theologizing whenever we ponder the great questions of life’s meaning within the context of faith. The Benedictine monk and missionary Bede Griffiths is reported to have said that anytime we pray, we are doing theology.
All theologizing is not of equal value, however, and it is the job of the professional theologian to help the church critically assess whether our theological notions are faithful to the gospels-and whether or not they spur us to live that gospel in our daily lives.
The foundations of Roman Catholic theology
The nature-grace interdependence
By way of definition, nature is whatever has been created: planets, angels, mountains, trees, birds, fish, animals, human beings, water, oil, bread, and wine. Grace is God’s favor in relation to the world he created.
According to Roman Catholic theology, nature and grace are, by God’s design, interdependent. Nature is capable of receiving and transmitting grace, and grace must be concretely communicated by nature.
For example, water (in the realm of nature) is capable of receiving and communicating grace when, consecrated by a Catholic bishop, it is used for Baptism. This sacrament (in the realm of grace) cleanses an infant from original sin, regenerates, and incorporates him/her into Christ and his Church.
This nature-grace interdependence is the first foundation of Catholic theology.
The Christ-Church interconnection
There are two manifestations of the principle of incarnation, a pattern with which God created the world so that grace and nature would be interdependent. The first manifestation is the incarnation of the Son of God as Jesus Christ, who mediated grace to nature.
The second manifestation is the Roman Catholic Church, which, as the prolongation of the incarnation of Christ, continues to mediate grace to nature. The Church is the continuation of God the Son incarnate, being the whole Christ-deity, humanity, and body.
Accordingly, the Roman Catholic Church acts as another (or second) person of Christ, mediating between the two realms of nature and grace. Nature, being open to grace, receives the grace mediated to it by the Church.
Grace, which must be tangible and concrete, is communicated through elements of nature that are consecrated by the Church. For example, a Catholic bishop consecrates oil (in the realm of nature) and employs it for the sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Orders.
Mediating these sacraments in the place of Christ, the Church tangibly and concretely confers grace upon those being confirmed and those entering the priesthood. This Christ-Church interconnection is the second foundation of Catholic theology.
The core beliefs of the Catholic faith
The core beliefs of the Catholic faith are found in the Nicene Creed. The creed summarizes Catholic belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, baptism, the resurrection, and eternal life.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Trinity
God eternally exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church teaches that there is but one God, who is infinite in knowledge, in power, in goodness, and in every other perfection; who created all things by His omnipotence, and governs them by His Providence.
In this one God there are three distinct Persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who are perfectly equal to each other.
Jesus Christ
The Son became incarnate as Jesus Christ, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He is the God-man, possessing a fully divine nature and a fully human nature.
We believe that Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, is perfect God and perfect Man. He is God, for He “is over all things, God blessed forever.” “He is God of the substance of the Father, begotten before time; and He is Man of the substance of His Mother, born in time.”
Out of love for us, and in order to rescue us from the miseries entailed upon us by the disobedience of our first parents, the Divine Word descended from heaven, and became Man in the womb of the Virgin Mary, by the operation of the Holy Ghost.
He was born on Christmas day, in a stable at Bethlehem. After having led a life of obscurity for about thirty years, chiefly at Nazareth, He commenced His public career.
He associated with Him a number of men who are named Apostles, whom He instructed in the doctrines of the religion which He established. For three years He went about doing good, giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, healing all kinds of diseases, raising the dead to life, and preaching throughout Judea the new Gospel of peace.
On Good Friday He was crucified on Mount Calvary, and thus purchased for us redemption by His death. Hence Jesus exclusively bears the titles of Savior and Redeemer, because “there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved.”
The resurrection and second coming
The saving work of Jesus Christ includes his sinless life, crucifixion for human sin, death, burial, bodily resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Having accomplished salvation, he rose from the dead on the third day and later ascended into heaven, from which he sent the Holy Spirit.
The mystery of Christ’s resurrection is a real event, with manifestations that were historically verified, as the New Testament bears witness. In about A.D. 56 St. Paul could already write to the Corinthians: “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. ”
The Apostle speaks here of the living tradition of the Resurrection which he had learned after his conversion at the gates of Damascus.
Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium
The Bible as inspired revelation
Catholics believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. Scripture is the Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit and written by human authors.
God is the author of Sacred Scripture. “The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself.
God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. “To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more.
The inspired books teach the truth. “Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures.
From the beginning of Christianity, the Catholic Church defined the canon of Scripture - the books you find in every Christian Bible - and defined what it meant to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
Several centuries passed before Church authorities evaluated a variety of scriptural writings and established a definitive canon of authoritative texts known as the New Testament.
Through the centuries, it’s the Catholic Church that preserved the Bible, as well as many other written works, through its monasteries and libraries.
The Catholic and Protestant Old Testaments
Whereas the Roman Catholic Bible and the Protestant Bible are identical with regard to the New Testament, they differ on the composition of the Old Testament.
The Protestant Old Testament has thirty-nine writings, and the Roman Catholic Old Testament has an additional seven books-Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, and 1 and 2 Maccabees-and additional sections in Esther and Daniel.
These writings, called the Apocrypha, were not part of the Bible of Jesus and his apostles; for this reason they are not included in the Protestant Old Testament.
Sacred Tradition
In the early Church, the Gospel was preached by those who had known Christ, or who had known his Apostles. The Apostles handed on their preaching and writing to all generations through bishops, who continue to preach the truth revealed in the Gospel.
This living transmission of the Word of God is called tradition, which is distinct from Scripture, but closely tied to it. Tradition infuses the entire life of the Church, and along with Scripture, comprises the deposit of the Word of God.
Tradition is teaching that Jesus communicated orally to his apostles, who, in turn, communicated it orally to their successors, the bishops.
This sacred tradition, therefore, and Sacred Scripture of both the Old and New Testaments are like a mirror in which the pilgrim Church on earth looks at God, from whom she has received everything, until she is brought finally to see Him as He is, face to face (see 1 John 3:2).
Hence there exists a close connection and communication between sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture. For both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a certain way merge into a unity and tend toward the same end.
Consequently it is not from Sacred Scripture alone that the Church draws her certainty about everything which has been revealed. Therefore both sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture are to be accepted and venerated with the same sense of loyalty and reverence.
The Magisterium
The Magisterium is the teaching office of the Church. It consists of the Pope and Bishops.
This Tradition is maintained by the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching office, or Magisterium, which occasionally proclaims doctrines based on it (e.g., the immaculate conception of Mary and her bodily assumption).
The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone.
Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.
Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it.
At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith.
Mindful of Christ’s words to his apostles: “He who hears you, hears me” the faithful receive with docility the teachings and directives that their pastors give them in different forms.
The Church’s Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these.
The authority of Scripture, Tradition, and the Church
Roman Catholic theology adds tradition and the authority of the church to the authority of Scripture. The Second Vatican Council stated this without equivocation.
It is clear, therefore, that sacred tradition, Sacred Scripture and the teaching authority of the Church, in accord with God’s most wise design, are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and that all together and each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.
These three sources of authority comprise a “tripod” upon which Rome rests her authority.
According to Roman Catholicism, authoritative revelation from God consists of two tightly connected streams, Scripture and Tradition. According to Protestantism, divine revelation is Scripture only (sola Scriptura, one of the foundational Protestant principles).
The interpretation of divine revelation, according to Roman Catholicism, is the responsibility of the Church’s hierarchy. The Magisterium, consisting of the pope and the bishops, provides the Church with the authoritative interpretation of written Scripture and Tradition.
Accordingly, all Catholic interpretations must conform to the Magisterium’s official interpretation. Protestant biblical interpretation operates from the clarity of Scripture and the illumination of the Holy Spirit in concert with basic interpretive principles; for example, the theme of all Scripture is Christ, and different genres-narrative, poetry, letter, prophecy, proverb-have different rules for understanding them.
Doctrine, dogma, teaching, and authority
Doctrine
The word doctrine comes, by way of the Latin doctrina, from the Greek word doxa, meaning belief. The doctrine(s) of the Church, therefore, are those teachings which must be believed by the faithful.
These include 1) dogmas, teachings which the Church has solemnly defined as formally revealed by God, and, 2) other teachings definitively proposed by the Church because they are connected to solemnly defined teachings.
The first (dogmas) can be called doctrines of divine faith, the second doctrines of catholic faith. Together they are said to be "of divine and catholic faith."
Both kinds of doctrine require the assent of faith. Both are infallibly taught by the Church.
Dogmas require it because they are formally revealed by God. Doctrines definitively proposed by the Church require it, because the infallibility of the Church in matters of faith and morals is itself divinely revealed.
A side note, doctrine shares the same root as orthodox, meaning correct belief. Those who hold the Church's doctrines faithfully are thus orthodox.
Dogma
Dogmas, therefore, are those doctrines solemnly proposed by the Church as formally revealed in Scripture or Tradition.
This may have been done by papal pronouncement (Pius IX: Immaculate Conception), by a General Council (Chalcedon: Christ is two natures in one Divine Person), or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium (killing an innocent human being is gravely immoral).
Sensus fidei
“Sensus Fidei: A supernatural appreciation of the faith (sensus fidei) shown by the universal consent in matters of faith and morals manifested by the whole body of the faithful under the guidance of the Magisterium."
The Church and apostolic succession
The Roman Catholic Church is the largest branch of Christianity and the world’s largest religious organization. It is headquartered in Vatican City, which is contained in the city of Rome, and is led by the Bishop of Rome, called the Pope, in an episcopal form of church government.
We are the original Christian Church, which began when Jesus himself when he said to the Apostle Peter, “You are the rock on which I will build my church. The gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
Every pope since then has been part of an unbroken line of succession since Peter, the first pope.
The Roman Catholic Church claims direct apostolic descent from Peter and believes itself to be the truest authoritative expression of Christianity.
Rome claims to be the true church by virtue of apostolic succession. The church claims to be the source of salvation.
Coming forth from the eternal Father’s love, founded in time by Christ the Redeemer and made one in the Holy Spirit, the Church has a saving and an eschatological purpose which can be fully attained only in the future world.
The one mediator, Christ, established and ever sustains here on earth his holy Church, the community of faith, hope, and charity, as a visible organization through which he communicates truth and grace to all men.
The church is characterized by four attributes: oneness (unity), holiness (purity), catholicity (universality), and apostolicity (associated with the apostles). It is the people of God, the body of Christ, and the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Historical development
Historically, Roman Catholicism became distinct in the Middle Ages when the Eastern church and the Western church split in what is called the Great Schism of 1054 A.D.
The Eastern church is now typically referred to as Eastern Orthodoxy, while the Western church came to be referred informally as the Roman Catholic Church.
Catholics call their church The Catholic Church, pointing to the many eastern Catholic rites which are part of it, thus denying that they are solely a Western church.
However, both groups trace a lineage back to the time at which they separated, and from that point back, as a united church, to the time of the Apostles.
Roman Catholicism specifically traces itself back to Linus, bishop and successor of Peter in leadership of the first century Church at Rome. This is supported by the writings of Irenaeus, who lived and wrote in the latter part of the second century.
The Roman Catholic Church subsequently encountered division of its own in the 16th century Protestant Reformation, led initially by Martin Luther, although Luther’s intention was not to create a new Christianity but to internally reform the teachings of the church.
Rather than accept radical reform, the Roman church excommunicated the “reformers” which thereby gave rise to Protestantism with its numerous denominations, many of which developed distinctive theological perspectives.
Common Christian beliefs
As a tradition within the broad Christian religion, Roman Catholic theology has many commonalities with the other two traditions, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism.
| Area of belief | Common Christian teaching |
|---|---|
| The Trinity | God eternally exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. |
| The nature of God | God is self-existent, unchangeable, eternal, everywhere present, all-powerful, all-knowing, loving, holy, just, glorious, and the like. |
| Divine revelation | God reveals himself through both general revelation and special revelation. |
| Jesus Christ | The Son became incarnate as Jesus Christ, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. |
| Christ’s saving work | God the Son incarnate lived a sinless life, was crucified for human sin, died, was buried, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. |
| The Holy Spirit | The Holy Spirit is worshiped together with the Father and the Son and works inseparably with them in creation, providence, redemption, and consummation. |
| Humanity | God created human beings as the pinnacle of his creation, but Adam and Eve fell into sin and the entire human race was plunged into sin. |
| Salvation | Salvation is initiated by God and focuses on Jesus Christ’s death by crucifixion as an atoning sacrifice for human sin. |
| The Church | The church is the people of God, the body of Christ, and the temple of the Holy Spirit. |
| Christian hope | Christians await the second coming of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the body, the last judgment, and everlasting life. |
The glory and depravity of human beings are also part of this shared framework. As divine image bearers, they are complex persons of both a material aspect (body) and immaterial aspect (soul or spirit).
Original sin is the state of corruption (and guilt, according to some) into which all human beings are born.
The divine initiative in applying salvation focuses on God’s mighty acts of election, calling people to himself, gracious prompting toward repentance and faith, and more.
No role for human initiative and merit at the outset of salvation is allowed.
The personal hope of Christians is to escape eternal punishment and enjoy eternal life. The cosmic hope of Christians includes the second coming of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the body, the appearance before Christ at the last judgment, and live everlasting in the new heaven and new earth.
The seven sacraments
On the basis of the nature-grace interdependence and the Christ-Church interconnection, the Roman Catholic Church claims to be the sole Church of Christ.
Structurally, at the heart of the Church is the pope, who is the successor of Peter and the Vicar, or representative, of Christ, along with the bishops, who constitute the Church’s hierarchy.
Liturgically, at the heart of the Church are the seven sacraments, elements of nature that, when consecrated and administered by the hierarchy, transmit grace to the Catholic faithful.
| Sacrament | Catholic theological meaning |
|---|---|
| Baptism | Baptism confers grace through consecrated water, which cleanses people from original sin, regenerates them, and incorporates them into the Church. |
| Confirmation | Confirmation bestows grace through consecrated oil and the laying on of a bishop’s hands, conferring the fullness of the Holy Spirit so that the faithful are empowered to be on mission. |
| Eucharist | The Eucharist gives grace through bread and wine, elements of nature that are transubstantiated, or transformed by God’s power, into the body and blood of Christ. |
| Penance | For Catholics who commit mortal sin, Penance confers grace through certain signs and good works, thereby absolving the faithful of their sin and restoring them to salvation. |
| Anointing of the Sick | For those who suffer from serious illness or are dying, the Anointing of the Sick provides grace through consecrated oil to heal them or to prepare them to face death. |
| Holy Orders | Holy Orders bestows grace through the laying on the bishops’ hands to ordain men to the priesthood. |
| Matrimony | Matrimony confers grace upon a man and a woman who covenant together to be married. |
Baptism
Baptism confers grace through consecrated water, which cleanses people from original sin, regenerates them, and incorporates them into the Church.
When an infant is baptized, he/she experiences initial justification, which is unmerited.
Confirmation and Holy Orders
Confirmation bestows grace through consecrated oil and the laying on of a bishop’s hands, conferring the fullness of the Holy Spirit so that the faithful are empowered to be on mission.
Holy Orders bestows grace through the laying on the bishops’ hands to ordain men to the priesthood.
The Eucharist and the Mass
Early in the history of the Church, there was the belief that when Jesus said at the Last Supper, “Take this and eat - this is my body; take this and drink - this is my blood,” he was giving us the gift of his real presence in the form of bread and wine.
We call this the Eucharist - a name that comes from the Greek word for thanksgiving. The Catholic Mass is a Eucharistic celebration and a celebration of God’s word in Scriptures.
The Eucharist, which is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324), gives grace through bread and wine, elements of nature that are transubstantiated, or transformed by God’s power, into the body and blood of Christ.
Penance and reconciliation
The sacrament of reconciliation (also called penance or confession) was created by Jesus himself when he said, "‘As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’" (John 20:21-23).
The idea of confessing our sins to another person is also in the Bible. In James 5:18, the Apostle tells us, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.”
The sacrament of reconciliation is known in the Church as a sacrament of healing.
Anointing of the Sick
For those who suffer from serious illness or are dying, the Anointing of the Sick provides grace through consecrated oil to heal them or to prepare them to face death.
Matrimony
Matrimony confers grace upon a man and a woman who covenant together to be married.
Roman Catholic teaching on salvation
Through its seven sacraments, and acting in the person of Christ, the Roman Catholic Church transmits God’s favor for salvation. Grace is infused into their recipients, transforming their character so they may work to merit eternal life.
The sacraments are valid ex opere operato, that is, they instill grace simply by being administered. Their effectiveness does not depend on the priest who administers them nor on their recipients, though those who participate faithfully receive greater benefit.
This infusion of grace through the sacraments is key to the Catholic view of salvation. When an infant is baptized, he/she experiences initial justification, which is unmerited.
With the process of salvation underway, he cooperates with God’s grace infused into him so as to engage in good works and merit eternal life.
If he reaches the end of his life in a state of grace, he will ultimately be saved, though probably not immediately. Due to the stain of sin, he needs to be purged of defects.
He first suffers punishment and purification in purgatory, then being perfected he may enter God’s presence in heaven.
Roman Catholic and Protestant understandings of justification
Roman Catholic theology has significant differences with the other two traditions, particularly Protestant theology. Foundationally, these divergences flow from the nature-grace interdependence and the Christ-Church interconnection, the two axioms disputed by Protestantism.
Protestant theology rejects Catholic theology’s notion that “justification is not only the forgiveness of sins, but also sanctification and the renewal of the inner person [regeneration]” (Council of Trent, Decree on Justification, 7 [1547]).
Rather, Protestant doctrine maintains that justification is God’s declaration that sinful people are not guilty but righteous instead. This legal pronouncement is not based on their meriting righteousness by doing good works but is due to the righteousness of Christ being imputed, or credited, to them.
This doctrine of justification is one of the foundational Protestant principles.
Mary and Mariology
Mary is honored as first among the saints because she is the mother of God and the mother of the Church.
We believe Mary was conceived without sin (meaning, she didn’t have the stain of original sin), and that God preserved her from sin so that she could be a perfect vessel to bring his son into the world.
Being human, however, she still had free will, which means she had the power to say “yes” or “no” to God when his messenger, the angel, came to her.
The fact that she willingly said “yes” is an example for us of love and submission to the will of God.
As with the saints, we ask Mary to pray for us to her son and to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
The immaculate conception
According to Roman Catholicism, Mariology consists of several core elements. In eternity past, God planned that the incarnation of the Son would be preceded by assent on the part of a woman predestined to become his mother.
For this key woman to agree to her predestined role, she had to be well prepared. Accordingly, Roman Catholic theology invokes the immaculate conception of Mary: at her conception, she “was preserved immune from all stain of original sin” (Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, December 8, 1854).
Conceived without sin, she was born without sin and lived her entire life without sin. Thus, at the angel’s announcement that she would become the mother of Son of God, Mary gave her assent to the will of God.
Mary’s perpetual virginity and role in the Church
Mary’s sinlessness was manifested by her perpetual virginity; she remained a virgin her whole life.
Moreover, Catholic theology maintains a special role for Mary in the Church. As her Son was being crucified, she suffered with him and consented to his sacrificial offering on the cross.
As one of his last acts, Jesus entrusted Mary to be the mother of all Christians. Following Jesus’ ascension, Mary prayed to help inaugurate the Church.
Therefore, she is the model of obedience, faith, suffering, and hope for the Church, of which she is the mother.
The bodily assumption of Mary
In light of her sinlessness, Roman Catholic theology invokes the bodily assumption of Mary: “when the course of her earthly life was finished, [she] was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory” (Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, November 1, 1950).
This exalted Mariology is clearly seen in the titles by which the Church invokes Mary: Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.
The Church is devoted to her in a special way-not the devotion of worship, which is reserved for God alone, but not merely veneration, which is given to all the saints.
Rather, the devotion to Mary is hyperdulia (or super-veneration), which includes prayer for her intercession for the Catholic faithful and aid for her gracious intervention on their behalf.
Comparison with Protestant theology
Protestant theology gratefully acknowledges Mary as the mother of Jesus Christ, appreciates her outstanding example of faith and obedience, and calls her “blessed” (Luke 1:48) because of God’s mighty work in and through her.
It rejects, however, the developed Roman Catholic Mariology.
Saints, intercession, and religious images
Prayer to the saints
We believe that holy men and women who have come before us still pray for us and aid us. We call them saints, and many of our churches are named for them.
When we pray to saints, we ask for their intercession (the same way you’d ask your family or friends to pray for you), so that God hears not only our prayers, but also the saints’ prayers on our behalf.
Images and statues
No. We pray to God.
Along with the words of Scripture, images can illuminate the Gospel message and inspire us with the memory of saints.
We believe God is present in beauty - and so we have commissioned and preserved some of the world’s greatest artworks.
Without the sponsorship of the Church, Michelangelo would never have painted his famous Sistine Chapel nor carved the Pietà.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
The word “catechism” comes from the Greek word, catechesis, or oral teaching. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a compendium of the essential teachings of the Catholic faith.
It is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a compendium of the essential teachings of the Catholic faith. It’s available online for free.
Distinctive Roman Catholic doctrines
Roman Catholicism contains a number of doctrines which Protestants view as unbiblical, such as the doctrine of Transubstantiation, the veneration and intercession of deceased saints, prayers for the dead, purgatory, the immaculate conception and bodily assumption of Mary, and papal infallibility.
These teachings evolved over time. While many were in place by the middle ages, some did not become Roman dogma until much later, e.g. Mary’s immaculate conception (Pope Pius IV, 1854), and the bodily assumption of Mary (Pope Pius XII, 1950).
The most important medieval theologian of Roman Catholicism has been without question Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). His Summa Theologica is still considered one of the most definitive collections of Roman Catholic theology.
The Church and its sacraments
On the basis of the nature-grace interdependence and the Christ-Church interconnection, the Roman Catholic Church claims to be the sole Church of Christ.
Thus, Protestant assemblies are not real churches but “ecclesial communities” whose salvation flows from the fullness of salvation in the Catholic Church.
By contrast, Protestants assemble in true churches that are marked by the preaching of the Word and the administration of two sacraments or ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper (some Protestants add a third mark, church discipline).
Authority and papal teaching
Theologically, Rome claims to be the true church, deriving her authority in a direct line from Christ and the apostles. The Pope makes his pronouncements based on his apostolic authority.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved 25 June last and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium.
I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion.
Returning to the Catholic Church
There’s a saying, “Once a Catholic, always a Catholic.” If you were baptized into the Catholic Church, or if you received any of the sacraments when you were younger, you’re still a Catholic, even if you don’t go to Mass or pray anymore.
In short, the Catholic Church will always be your spiritual home, and you’re welcome home any time.
How? Just show up. Visit a parish, talk to the pastor or one of the priests or to a parishioner and let them know you’re there.
We want to welcome you home and help you renew a relationship with Jesus Christ that will be the source of your happiness now and for all eternity!
Why Roman Catholic theology matters for Christian study
Bible believers should study Roman Catholic theology for several reasons. Numerically, Rome claims a significant Catholic population.
Theologically, Rome claims to be the true church, deriving her authority in a direct line from Christ and the apostles. The Pope makes his pronouncements based on his apostolic authority.
It stands to reason that we must be familiar with the teachings of the Catholic Church as we minister to people who have embraced that teaching to one degree or another.
We willingly assume several responsibilities as we undertake this evaluation. We will study aspects of Catholic theology with which we strenuously disagree.
We must be objective, biblical, compassionate, and non-pejorative as we seek to connect with Roman Catholics.
Major differences exist between those who embrace the position of sola scriptura and those who do not. We must be objective and true to Scripture, and we must not approach our relationship with Roman Catholics with a bigoted attitude.
It is incumbent upon us that we exhibit the spirit of Jude 22, 23. Because a person is Catholic does not mean he or she has accepted all Catholic teaching.
We must approach this study with some biblical and historical perspective. God communicated His Word to the world through the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles (Heb 2:1-4).
False prophets arose in the Old Testament era, and God gave Israel the means by which they could be identified and rejected (Dt 13:1-5; 18:15-23).
False teachers arose in the New Testament, and God gave the early churches warning and means by which they were to be identified and rejected (e.g., 1 Tim 4; 2 Tim 3; 2 Pet 2; Jude).
False teachings continued to arise after the age of the apostles and the close of the canon of Scripture.
The false teaching of baptismal regeneration appeared in the first hundred years after the apostolic era. The practice of infant baptism was affirmed at the Council of Carthage in 252 AD.
We contend that the Roman Church as it exists today is an amalgam of biblical doctrine and false teachings.
