[geocentrism] Scripture!
- From: "philip madsen" <joyphil@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "ABCs of Faith www.abcsoffaith.com" <latonyk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <geocentrism@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:06:12 +1000
Well sometimes a coincident piece of mail arrives that fits in with our
discussion.. this came today..and the relevent bit concerns Scripture.. Be
sure to note that the period of the writer is the 5th century, a time when
modernists would have us believe that the scripture was suppressed from general
consumption.. Philip.
How to Distinguish the True Faith from Heresy
At the moment when many Catholics are making, or considering making,
compromises with Progressivism regarding the New Mass and Vatican II, it seems
to us opportune to remember the criteria to maintain the true Catholic Faith
given by St. Vincent de Lerins.
Facing these compromises, Catholics are taking sides – “I will take the
position of my team, not your team.” This is a superficial approach. Each one
of us is individually responsible before God for the right or wrong position he
takes.
St Vincent de Lerins
In the 5th century, St. Vincent of Lerins saw that the people were faced
with various errors and heresies of Donatus, Arius, Photinus, Pelagius and
others, and gave them this good advice on how they could know with security the
true Catholic Faith. Even if it is taught by distinguished men or Prelates, the
bad doctrine should not be accepted by Catholics, who should cling to Tradition
and what has been believed everywhere, always, and by all [quod ubique, quod
semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est]. Actually, he stated:
I have continually given the greatest pains and diligence to inquiring, from
the greatest possible number of men outstanding in holiness and in doctrine,
how I can secure a type of fixed and, as it were, general, guiding principle
for distinguishing the true Catholic Faith from the degraded falsehoods of
heresy.
And the answer that I receive is always to this effect: That if I wish, or
indeed if anyone wishes, to detect the deceits of heretics that arise and to
avoid their snares and to keep healthy and sound in a robust faith, we ought,
with the Lord's help, to fortify our faith in a twofold manner, first, that is,
by the authority of God's Law, then, by the tradition of the Catholic Church.
Here, it may be, someone will ask: ‘Since the canon of Scripture is complete,
and is in itself abundantly sufficient, what need is there to join to it the
interpretation of the Church?’ The answer is that because of the profundity
itself of Scripture, all men do not place the same interpretation upon it. The
statements of the same writer are explained by different men in different ways,
so much so that it seems almost possible to extract from it as many opinions as
there are men. Novatian expounds in one way, Sabellius in another, Donatus in
another, Arius, Eunomius and Macedonius in another, Photinus, Apollinaris and
Priscillian in another, Jovinian, Pelagius and Caelestius in another, and
latterly Nestorius in another. Therefore, because of the intricacies of error,
which is so multiform, there is great need for the laying down of a rule for
the exposition of Prophets and Apostles in accordance with the standard of the
interpretation of the Catholic Church.
Now in the Catholic Church itself we take the greatest care to hold that
which has been believed everywhere, always and by all. That is truly and
properly 'Catholic,' as is shown by the very force and meaning of the word,
which comprehends everything almost universally. We shall hold to this rule if
we follow universality, antiquity, and consent. We shall follow universality if
we acknowledge that one Faith to be true which the whole Church throughout the
world confesses; antiquity if we in no wise depart from those interpretations
which it is clear that our ancestors and fathers proclaimed; consent, if in
antiquity itself, we keep following the definitions and opinions of all, or
certainly nearly all, Bishops and Doctors alike.
What then will the Catholic Christian do, if a small part of the Church has
cut itself off from the communion of the universal Faith? The answer is sure.
He will prefer the healthiness of the whole body to the morbid and corrupt
limb.
But what if some novel contagions try to infect the whole Church, and not
merely a tiny part of it?
Then he will take care to cleave to antiquity, which cannot now be led astray
by any deceit of novelty.
What if in antiquity itself two or three men, or it may be a city, or even a
whole province be detected in error?
Then he will take the greatest care to prefer the decrees of the ancient
General Councils, if there are such, to the irresponsible ignorance of a few
men.
But what if some error arises regarding which nothing of this sort is to be
found?
Then he must do his best to compare the opinions of the Fathers and inquire
their meaning, provided always that, though they belonged to diverse times and
places, they yet continued in the faith and communion of the one Catholic
Church; and let them be teachers approved and outstanding. And whatever he
shall find to have been held, approved and taught, not by one or two only but
by all equally and with one consent, openly, frequently, and persistently, let
him take this as to be held by him without the slightest hesitation.
The Vincentian Canon, in Commonitorium, chap IV, 434,
[ed. Moxon, Cambridge Patristic Texts]
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7:45 PM
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