The Catholic World, Vol. 05, April 1867 to September 1867Various
Religion
The Catholic World, Vol. 05, April 1867 to September 1867
Various
Catholic Church -- Periodicals
Our second conclusion is, that the notion of Catholic doctrine which
conceives of it as requiring one to believe that there is no true faith or
holiness outside of the visible communion of the See of Peter, is equally
erroneous. All that Archbishop Manning has said of the workings of the Holy
Spirit in the Church of England is equally applicable to the Congregational
Church of Connecticut. We have no just reason for regarding the original
colonists as formal heretics or schismatics, and even less reason for
including the subsequent generations in that category. All who have lived
and died in that faith which worketh by charity we acknowledge as the
children of God and our brethren in Jesus Christ. Those now living who have
this _fides formata_, are spiritually united to the Holy Catholic
Church, the communion of saints. Consequently, if any of these shall
hereafter enter the visible body of the church, not only will they not be
required to deny the validity of their baptismal covenant with God, and to
abjure their former spiritual life, but they will find in the tribunal of
penance that both will be recognized.
We repeat, therefore, once more, that the proper basis on which we may
confer together concerning the faith, is to be found in those doctrines in
which we agree, and not in those in which we differ. We may not make a
positive judgment in regard to the interior and subjective relation of
individuals toward God or the true Church of God. We leave that to him who
is the only judge of hearts and consciences. We are sure of this, however,
that we are bound to cultivate the spirit of Christian charity toward those
who profess allegiances to our common Lord, to the utmost possible extent.
This charity forbids us to make an arrogant and harsh judgment that they
are, _en masse_ and by the simple fact of their outward profession,
aliens from the household of faith, or that any particular individual is
so, unless he makes it plainly manifest in his conduct. We are agreed on
both sides that we are responsible to God for our belief; and bound, as
teachers and theologians, to study conscientiously the truths of the divine
revelation. We have also a common interest in endeavoring to come to an
agreement, so far as this is necessary in order to establish unity of faith
and of ecclesiastical fellowship. Let us suppose for a moment that Dr.
Bacon represents the Congregational clergy of Connecticut, and that we have
the honor to represent the Catholic clergy. We shall agree that it is our
common interest to defend the authenticity and inspiration of all those
books of the Holy Scripture which we revere in common as canonical, and the
historic truth of the Mosaic and Evangelical records, against infidel
rationalism. Also, to solve the difficulties raised by modern science in
relation to the harmony between rational and revealed truth. Also, to
preserve the faith of the people in the Trinity, the Incarnation, and other
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