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Objection 1: It would seem that idolatry is not a sin. Nothing is
a sin that the true faith employs in worshipping God. Now the true
faith employs images for the divine worship: since both in the
Tabernacle were there images of the cherubim, as related in Ex.
25, and in the Church are images set up which the faithful worship.
Therefore idolatry, whereby idols are worshipped, is not a sin.
Objection 2: Further, reverence should be paid to every superior.
But the angels and the souls of the blessed are our superiors.
Therefore it will be no sin to pay them reverence by worship, of
sacrifices or the like.
Objection 3: Further, the most high God should be honored with an
inward worship, according to Jn. 4:24, "God . . . they must
adore . . . in spirit and in truth": and Augustine says
(Enchiridion iii), that "God is worshipped by faith, hope and
charity." Now a man may happen to worship idols outwardly, and yet
not wander from the true faith inwardly. Therefore it seems that we
may worship idols outwardly without prejudice to the divine worship.
On the contrary, It is written (Ex. 20:5): "Thou shalt not
adore them," i.e. outwardly, "nor serve them," i.e. inwardly,
as a gloss explains it: and it is a question of graven things and
images. Therefore it is a sin to worship idols whether outwardly or
inwardly.
I answer that, There has been a twofold error in this matter. For
some have thought that to offer sacrifices and other things pertaining
to latria, not only to God but also to the others aforesaid, is due
and good in itself, since they held that divine honor should be paid to
every superior nature, as being nearer to God. But this is
unreasonable. For though we ought to revere all superiors, yet the
same reverence is not due to them all: and something special is due to
the most high God Who excels all in a singular manner: and this is
the worship of latria.
Nor can it be said, as some have maintained, that "these visible
sacrifices are fitting with regard to other gods, and that to the most
high God, as being better than those others, better sacrifices,
namely, the service of a pure mind, should be offered". The reason
is that, as Augustine says (De Civ. Dei x, 19), "external
sacrifices are signs of internal, just as audible words are signs of
things. Wherefore, just as by prayer and praise we utter significant
words to Him, and offer to Him in our hearts the things they
signify, so too in our sacrifices we ought to realize that we should
offer a visible sacrifice to no other than to Him Whose invisible
sacrifice we ourselves should be in our hearts."
Others held that the outward worship of latria should be given to
idols, not as though it were something good or fitting in itself, but
as being in harmony with the general custom. Thus Augustine (De
Civ. Dei vi, 10) quotes Seneca as saying: "We shall adore,"
says he, "in such a way as to remember that our worship ss in
accordance with custom rather than with the reality": and (De Vera
Relig. v) Augustine says that "we must not seek religion from the
philosophers, who accepted the same things for sacred, as did the
people; and gave utterance in the schools to various and contrary
opinions about the nature of their gods, and the sovereign good."
This error was embraced also by certain heretics, who affirmed that it
is not wrong for one who is seized in time of persecution to worship
idols outwardly so long as he keeps the faith in his heart.
But this is evidently false. For since outward worship is a sign of
the inward worship, just as it is a wicked lie to affirm the contrary
of what one holds inwardly of the true faith so too is it a wicked
falsehood to pay outward worship to anything counter to the sentiments
of one's heart. Wherefore Augustine condemns Seneca (De Civ.
Dei vi, 10) in that "his worship of idols was so much the more
infamous forasmuch as the things he did dishonestly were so done by him
that the people believed him to act honestly."
Reply to Objection 1: Neither in the Tabernacle or Temple of the
Old Law, nor again now in the Church are images set up that the
worship of latria may be paid to them, but for the purpose of
signification, in order that belief in the excellence of angels and
saints may be impressed and confirmed in the mind of man. It is
different with the image of Christ, to which latria is due on account
of His Divinity, as we shall state in the TP, Question 25,
Article 3.
The Replies to the Second and Third Objections are evident from
what has been said above.
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