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Objection 1: It would seem that it is unsuitable for the articles of
faith to be embodied in a symbol. Because Holy Writ is the rule of
faith, to which no addition or subtraction can lawfully be made, since
it is written (Dt. 4:2): "You shall not add to the word that
I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it." Therefore it
was unlawful to make a symbol as a rule of faith, after the Holy Writ
had once been published.
Objection 2: Further, according to the Apostle (Eph. 4:5)
there is but "one faith." Now the symbol is a profession of faith.
Therefore it is not fitting that there should be more than one symbol.
Objection 3: Further, the confession of faith, which is contained
in the symbol, concerns all the faithful. Now the faithful are not
all competent to believe in God, but only those who have living
faith. Therefore it is unfitting for the symbol of faith to be
expressed in the words: "I believe in one God."
Objection 4: Further, the descent into hell is one of the articles
of faith, as stated above (Article 8). But the descent into hell
is not mentioned in the symbol of the Fathers. Therefore the latter
is expressed inadequately.
Objection 5: Further, Augustine (Tract. xxix in Joan.)
expounding the passage, "You believe in God, believe also in Me"
(Jn. 14:1) says: "We believe Peter or Paul, but we speak
only of believing 'in' God." Since then the Catholic Church is
merely a created being, it seems unfitting to say: "In the One,
Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church."
Objection 6: Further, a symbol is drawn up that it may be a rule of
faith. Now a rule of faith ought to be proposed to all, and that
publicly. Therefore every symbol, besides the symbol of the
Fathers, should be sung at Mass. Therefore it seems unfitting to
publish the articles of faith in a symbol.
On the contrary, The universal Church cannot err, since she is
governed by the Holy Ghost, Who is the Spirit of truth: for such
was Our Lord's promise to His disciples (Jn. 16:13):
"When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will teach you all
truth." Now the symbol is published by the authority of the universal
Church. Therefore it contains nothing defective.
I answer that, As the Apostle says (Heb. 11:6), "he that
cometh to God, must believe that He is." Now a man cannot
believe, unless the truth be proposed to him that he may believe it.
Hence the need for the truth of faith to be collected together, so
that it might the more easily be proposed to all, lest anyone might
stray from the truth through ignorance of the faith. It is from its
being a collection of maxims of faith that the symbol takes its name.
Reply to Objection 1: The truth of faith is contained in Holy
Writ, diffusely, under various modes of expression, and sometimes
obscurely, so that, in order to gather the truth of faith from Holy
Writ, one needs long study and practice, which are unattainable by
all those who require to know the truth of faith, many of whom have no
time for study, being busy with other affairs. And so it was
necessary to gather together a clear summary from the sayings of Holy
Writ, to be proposed to the belief of all. This indeed was no
addition to Holy Writ, but something taken from it.
Reply to Objection 2: The same doctrine of faith is taught in all
the symbols. Nevertheless, the people need more careful instruction
about the truth of faith, when errors arise, lest the faith of
simple-minded persons be corrupted by heretics. It was this that gave
rise to the necessity of formulating several symbols, which nowise
differ from one another, save that on account of the obstinacy of
heretics, one contains more explicitly what another contains
implicitly.
Reply to Objection 3: The confession of faith is drawn up in a
symbol in the person, as it were, of the whole Church, which is
united together by faith. Now the faith of the Church is living
faith; since such is the faith to be found in all those who are of the
Church not only outwardly but also by merit. Hence the confession of
faith is expressed in a symbol, in a manner that is in keeping with
living faith, so that even if some of the faithful lack living faith,
they should endeavor to acquire it.
Reply to Objection 4: No error about the descent into hell had
arisen among heretics, so that there was no need to be more explicit on
that point. For this reason it is not repeated in the symbol of the
Fathers, but is supposed as already settled in the symbol of the
Apostles. For a subsequent symbol does not cancel a preceding one;
rather does it expound it, as stated above (ad 2).
Reply to Objection 5: If we say: "'In' the holy Catholic
Church," this must be taken as verified in so far as our faith is
directed to the Holy Ghost, Who sanctifies the Church; so that the
sense is: "I believe in the Holy Ghost sanctifying the Church."
But it is better and more in keeping with the common use, to omit the
'in,' and say simply, "the holy Catholic Church," as Pope Leo
[Rufinus, Comm. in Sym. Apost.] observes.
Reply to Objection 6: Since the symbol of the Fathers is an
explanation of the symbol of the Apostles, and was drawn up after the
faith was already spread abroad, and when the Church was already at
peace, it is sung publicly in the Mass. On the other hand the symbol
of the Apostles, which was drawn up at the time of persecution,
before the faith was made public, is said secretly at Prime and
Compline, as though it were against the darkness of past and future
errors.
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