The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-09-22
FAITH AND DOGMA.

, the soul, faith, hope and other kindred
subjects. l have attempted to grouI
them together, but in the attempt
- got badly mixed. There is the eXistenc;
of Supreme Being, the Immortality
of the soul, religion, faith, theology
dogmas. and beliefs in all man must
have before he can be saved The fol-
lowing questions suggest themselves
Are faith and theology one and the
same? What is faith? What is the
relation between faith and dogma? An
answer ITO the above will be appreci-
ated by one who must admit that he is
AN AGNOSTIC.
In replying to our esteemed cores
pondent the Intermountain states that
a very wide field in the religious world
has been opened up by his queries. too
wide to do it justice in a newspaper
article. Faith and theology are not
the same. Faith is necessary for sal
walton. without faith it is impossible
TO please God Theology is not neces-
sary for salvation. 1t is as expressed
by an able writer "A science con-
| structed by human reason from princi-
pies derived from the light of nature
and the supernatural revelation made
! Immediately to faith" 1t takes in
! revelation and reason, and from both
constructs the ground work of faith
1t gives to the human mind convincing
proofs of the reasonableness of faith. |
| though not always persuasive. Whye |
Because faith is a gift from God"
The intellect may be convinced of the |
force Of theological argument, but |
to persuade the will in the absence of |
Gods grace, is another thing. 1t is
the handmade of faith, and helps to
strengthen it, but it is not necessary
for salvation. Faith, taken as a theo-
logical virtue, consists in believing.
without doubling, explicitly or implic-
lily, all the truths revealed by AL
mighty God, on the veracity of God
alone. Faith excludes doubt. 1t must
have some authority on which to rest.
That authority could not be mans in
ner consciousness. 1t must be outside
Of, or distinct from the believer. also
from the matter believed. Regarding
revelation-the old and new testaments
what authority has man for the in
rinsic truth in that good book? The
veracity of God. How know we that
God revealed the matter in question? I
We need witness, who can testify not c
only to revelation in general but to ;
particular cases in which there may be {
a question of the meaning of sense of o
the revealed word. To make faith a '
rational act the witness must be uni
versal, taking in all ages and nations; Z
and must be known Enthusiastically to u
all inquiring minds the simple and IL
iterate as well as the wise and learn 3
"a. That witness finally must be in p
7allible. Faith excludes doubt. be- q
'ause it is a firm assent founded on =.
he veracity of God alone who is alb -
oiute truth, from whom all other =,
ruths emanate. Being certain that =.
1od has revealed Himself. His veracity :,
lone becomes the ground work of =,
aith. Next comes the sense of Gods %
evelation. If man in Interpreting the ~
mind of the Deity, does so in a false 20
ense, he does not believe what is ac- III
lally revealed, but something entirely or
lfferent from what God has revealed
nd for the truth of which the veracitv -
God could not be claimed. an inter- ~
reter is then needed, and one who 90
an neither deceive or be deceived -;
therwise an act of faith conformabIe 49,
reason is impossible. Inner con- -.
'iousness. Illuminated by the HOLY ~
pirit is such a witness. Yes if we are &c
ertain of such a witness But the fact 80
an individual pointing his finger ia. 80
s heart and saying. there is the wit IT,
ass does not satisfy the demands of u,o
ason, nay the contrary is evident c1r
hen we find different persons, accord GO,
g to their training, education. and NIL
lysical constitution, claiming the do
me high and holy privilege interpret but
e mind Of God, as revealed to us. Wi,
ferently 80,
But has not God, loving, just and vot
nevolent Father made known His ~,
IL to men in a perfect manner. and oh,
to all. Yes by appointing a.
body of teachers who in His name D.,
d under the guidance of the Holy ~
lost are sent as teachers, and who
.erpret the revealed word. But why
not God in revealing himself make -.
own His will as clearly and intelli- -
80, o''7o Oouiu convey. MAX chu
faith necessary condition for life ai,,
rnal, reason would demand in the +ast
It Of just and merciful Father. that inc,
make known His will in clear. con- ipcc
e and ineligible language. That +boi
precisely what our Heavenly Father =,
done. by appointing a supreme in 80.
lible court which defines an article
faith with certainty. When the ven 'ioli
bic head of the Catholic Church ~
axis authoritatively, and in his ca nral
'ity as universal teacher, defines a mo-
trine there is no mistaking his sense 49,
he dogma defined. So
attn, under the form of dogma is
1t reason Graves. 1t satisfies rea e..
giving 1t certainty, and with this
ainty the intellect can make an act ~
falth. We look back. study man
through past history can we safely .ie
20 the ,,,.aso,,4 80, :, An 81" safety have
IS and everywhere man had some
on of God, the Immortality of tho O-ie
and just retribution. Outside of 80,
istiahity these notions were vague go
artain and incomplete, because they e.,
subjected to the ever-varying oct
ar tho disia+oao4.,e Uis' IONS ana were
,op ,ossio,, ,rI,.1.' li.ii.eii OF leaf,
s,,blir,n idao. 49, ms iiliiuelce Their
| m were gradgally shaped to suit hu- TRJ
and square ones belief with their
1ns, the imaginative powers of men In
ted their own gods. Hence we