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State of the question. The supporters of naturalism deny
the existence of truly supernatural grace in Adam; among
these are the Pelagians, and in modern times the
Unitarians, the liberal Protestants, the positivists,
and also the Modernists, who speak of a principle of
religious immanence because of which even the Christian
religion is not above the exigencies of our nature and
which, according to some, is merely a development of a
germ seated in our nature.[1414] Naturalism also
denies original sin and therefore, especially in its
pantheistic form, it exaggerates the powers of nature to
such an extent that nothing is beyond the capacity or
powers of human nature. This is a form of absolute
optimism.
Pseudo-supernaturalism, on the other hand, has a
pessimistic bent and exaggerates the consequences of
original sin and also succeeds in confusing the orders of
grace and nature. It holds that grace and the gifts
conferred in the state of innocence are essentials of human
nature (Luther), or were owing to nature (Baius and
Jansenius), or that they were complements of human
nature (Calvin).
With regard to the terminology used in this question it
should be noted that, while the word "natural" means the
same as "original," it has been used in an improper
sense to designate a truly supernatural gift connected with
man's origin. For example, some of the Fathers have
called the original holiness given to Adam when he was
created natural; similarly, the gift of integrity, which
perfects nature in the natural order, has been called
natural although it is gratuitous. This improper use of
terms should be avoided because of the danger of
confusion.
The Catholic doctrine is above these extreme and mutually
opposed positions of naturalism and
pseudo-supernaturalism. The Church teaches that our
first parents were constituted in the state of holiness and
justice and that this state was entirely gratuitous and
supernatural. The Council of Trent declared, "If
anyone does not confess that Adam the first
man....lost that holiness and justice in which he was
constituted, let him be anathema," and "that he lost
(this state) for himself alone and not for us, let him
be anathema."[1415]
These two propositions of Baius were condemned: "The
sublimation and exaltation of human nature to fellowship
with the divine nature was owing to the integrity of the
first condition and therefore it should be considered
natural and not supernatural";[1416] "The
integrity of the primary creation was not an undeserved
exaltation of human nature but its natural
condition."[1417]
From these declarations it follows that the first man was
created without sin, that he had free will, that he was
endowed with the supernatural gifts of
integrity[1418] and immortality;[1419] it
follows too that God could have created man without
supernatural grace,[1420] such a man as is born
now.[1421] To preserve his primitive state man
needed grace,[1422] and his merits were not purely
human and natural.[1423]
This doctrine is revealed in Sacred Scripture. From
the Old Testament it is clear:
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1. that prior to sin a certain familiarity existed
between God and man;[1424]
2. that man was made to the image of God,[1425]
an expression that is clarified later;
3. that man was created righteous in a state of
friendship with God, that is, loving God above all
things, otherwise there would be no righteousness or
rectitude. These texts must be understood according to
the analogy of faith; their meaning becomes clearer in the
light of the New Testament. |
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In the New Testament, however, when men are justified
by sanctifying grace they are said to be regenerated,
renewed, and restored to the state of the first man, who
therefore was created and constituted in the same
grace.[1426] Lastly, the grace we receive is truly
supernatural, for by it "we are made partakers of the
divine nature," adopted sons of God, and enabled to see
God as He is.[1427] Therefore Adam too was
created in the same supernatural grace.
This truth is confirmed in tradition. De Journel has
collected the important texts in which it is expressly
stated that prior to the Fall our first parents were
endowed with gifts beyond the requirements of nature, such
as original justice, immunity from concupiscence, freedom
from the necessity of dying, and brilliant knowledge, and
that they lived a most happy life.[1428]
This doctrine is proved by theological reason, as St.
Thomas shows.[1429] According to the Scriptures,
"God made man right,"[1430] that is, just, for
in the Scriptures the righteous are called
just.[1431] This righteousness or justice in which
man was created consisted in this: that reason was
subjected to God, by reason of the immunity from
concupiscence the lower powers were subject to reason, and
because of the immunity from pain and death the body was
subject to the soul. St. Augustine explains that the
first subjection was the cause of the second and the
third, and that these were not natural otherwise they
would have remained after sin.[1432] Hence the
first subjection was not natural but gratuitous, because
the effect cannot be greater than the cause.
Nor can it be said that this first subjection referred
only to the higher part of the gift of integrity, since it
is called holiness and justice, in which the just are now
regenerated by a truly supernatural grace. This will be
made clearer in the following article, when we treat of
the gift of integrity and the twofold subjection which this
integrity implies and of the threefold harmony of the state
of original justice.
Besides this, it seems repugnant that the entire human
race should be deprived of the perfection necessary to
attain its natural end by the sin of one man. Hence this
perfection was not owing to nature but was supernatural,
as defined by the Church.
Corollary. As St. Thomas shows,[1433] Adam
consequently had all the virtues in the state of
innocence, that is, all the virtues by which reason is
ordered to God and by which the lower powers are disposed
according to the rule of reason. For sanctifying grace,
in which the first man was created, is the root of all
virtues, which flow from it as properties from the
essence; and by these infused virtues our first parents
were elevated to elicit supernatural acts and, with the
help of actual grace, to merit their last
end.[1434] The Holy Trinity dwelt in their souls
and they received the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost,
which are derived from charity. As St. Augustine said
of the angels, "For them God at the same time
established their nature and granted grace."[1435]
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