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Objection 1: It would seem that it does not belong to the Sovereign
Pontiff to draw up a symbol of faith. For a new edition of the symbol
becomes necessary in order to explain the articles of faith, as stated
above (Article 9). Now, in the Old Testament, the articles of
faith were more and more explained as time went on, by reason of the
truth of faith becoming clearer through greater nearness to Christ, as
stated above (Article 7). Since then this reason ceased with the
advent of the New Law, there is no need for the articles of faith to
be more and more explicit. Therefore it does not seem to belong to the
authority of the Sovereign Pontiff to draw up a new edition of the
symbol.
Objection 2: Further, no man has the power to do what is forbidden
under pain of anathema by the universal Church. Now it was forbidden
under pain of anathema by the universal Church, to make a new edition
of the symbol. For it is stated in the acts of the first council of
Ephesus (P. ii, Act. 6) that "after the symbol of the Nicene
council had been read through, the holy synod decreed that it was
unlawful to utter, write or draw up any other creed, than that which
was defined by the Fathers assembled at Nicaea together with the Holy
Ghost," and this under pain of anathema. The same was repeated in
the acts of the council of Chalcedon (P. ii, Act. 5).
Therefore it seems that the Sovereign Pontiff has no authority to
publish a new edition of the symbol.
Objection 3: Further, Athanasius was not the Sovereign Pontiff,
but patriarch of Alexandria, and yet he published a symbol which is
sung in the Church. Therefore it does not seem to belong to the
Sovereign Pontiff any more than to other bishops, to publish a new
edition of the symbol.
On the contrary, The symbol was drawn us by a general council. Now
such a council cannot be convoked otherwise than by the authority of the
Sovereign Pontiff, as stated in the Decretals [Dist. xvii,
Can. 4,5]. Therefore it belongs to the authority of the
Sovereign Pontiff to draw up a symbol.
I answer that, As stated above (OBJ 1), a new edition of the
symbol becomes necessary in order to set aside the errors that may
arise. Consequently to publish a new edition of the symbol belongs to
that authority which is empowered to decide matters of faith finally,
so that they may be held by all with unshaken faith. Now this belongs
to the authority of the Sovereign Pontiff, "to whom the more
important and more difficult questions that arise in the Church are
referred," as stated in the Decretals [Dist. xvii, Can. 5].
Hence our Lord said to Peter whom he made Sovereign Pontiff (Lk.
22:32): "I have prayed for thee," Peter, "that thy faith
fail not, and thou, being once converted, confirm thy brethren."
The reason of this is that there should be but one faith of the whole
Church, according to 1 Cor. 1:10: "That you all speak the
same thing, and that there be no schisms among you": and this could
not be secured unless any question of faith that may arise be decided by
him who presides over the whole Church, so that the whole Church may
hold firmly to his decision. Consequently it belongs to the sole
authority of the Sovereign Pontiff to publish a new edition of the
symbol, as do all other matters which concern the whole Church, such
as to convoke a general council and so forth.
Reply to Objection 1: The truth of faith is sufficiently explicit
in the teaching of Christ and the apostles. But since, according to
2 Pt. 3:16, some men are so evil-minded as to pervert the
apostolic teaching and other doctrines and Scriptures to their own
destruction, it was necessary as time went on to express the faith more
explicitly against the errors which arose.
Reply to Objection 2: This prohibition and sentence of the council
was intended for private individuals, who have no business to decide
matters of faith: for this decision of the general council did not take
away from a subsequent council the power of drawing up a new edition of
the symbol, containing not indeed a new faith, but the same faith with
greater explicitness. For every council has taken into account that a
subsequent council would expound matters more fully than the preceding
council, if this became necessary through some heresy arising.
Consequently this belongs to the Sovereign Pontiff, by whose
authority the council is convoked, and its decision confirmed.
Reply to Objection 3: Athanasius drew up a declaration of faith,
not under the form of a symbol, but rather by way of an exposition of
doctrine, as appears from his way of speaking. But since it contained
briefly the whole truth of faith, it was accepted by the authority of
the Sovereign Pontiff, so as to be considered as a rule of faith.
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