RATIONAL CREDIBILITY OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH. —
I. NOTION
Credible etymologically means everything that can be the object of belief or faith. Yet these two words are understood in different senses by modern psychologists. For some, belief is persuasion without proof. According to others, belief is an assent that excludes doubt but depends more on the will, feeling, instinct, education, and environment than on reflection; and one goes so far as to affirm that one is born a believer just as one is born an unbeliever. More commonly, belief is taken to mean a conviction not founded on solid rational grounds and therefore not implying certainty. It would differ from opinion only in that opinion is conscious of the insufficiency of the reasons on which it is based. The word faith, moreover, is commonly taken as a synonym for belief.Applying such concepts to the Catholic faith, it is asserted that this is adherence to an order of ideas without sufficient proof; or the certain and invincible persuasion of alleged truths revealed by God, even if they are shown to be irrational; or a purely subjective conviction, not deduced from reasoning but the work of feeling; or an aspiration of the will toward the infinite; or an almost instinctive need for the divine, etc. These conceptions of the Catholic faith are entirely false.
In theological language, as also in ordinary usage, that which is attested by a person worthy of faith, that is, competent and truthful, is said to be reasonably credible. There is a divine faith and a human faith, according as the attesting authority is human or divine. In either case faith is an act of the intellect, since knowledge of a truth cannot be the object of a volitional or sensory faculty.
The Catholic faith, moreover, is defined by the First Vatican Council as « a supernatural virtue by which, with the inspiration and help of the Grace of God, we believe to be true the things that He has revealed, not because by the natural light of reason we see their intrinsic truth, but by the authority of God Himself revealing, who can neither deceive nor be deceived » (Denz-U, 1789).
For the rational credibility of human faith, it is necessary and sufficient to demonstrate the fact of the testimony and the competence and sincerity of the witness. An analogous process is followed for the rational credibility of the Catholic faith. Once the existence of God, infinite truth, has been demonstrated philosophically, the existence of divine Revelation, legitimately preserved and authentically interpreted and taught by the Roman Catholic Church, is proved historically. These two demonstrations are the two premises of the following syllogism, whose conclusion constitutes the judgment of credibility: everything that God, infallible truth, reveals is reasonably credible; but God has revealed the truths of the Catholic faith; therefore these truths are reasonably credible.
The will also intervenes in this reasoning, but only indirectly. The will, like feelings and passions, has a great influence on our reasoning, especially when it concerns truths that require long and complicated investigations, give rise to difficulties and objections, and impose serious burdens. Too often it happens that « affection binds the intellect » and that « quod volumus credimus ».
What is then required is greater attentiveness of the intellect, perseverance in study, an effort toward objectivity, courage to impose silence on sophistical doubts and vain anxieties, mastery of the passions, and love of truth at any cost. Creating such moral dispositions, removing the obstacles that stand in the way of recognizing the truth, and leading our entire soul to the truth are tasks of the will; the will, however, neither replaces nor objectively strengthens any argument of reason.
The syllogism of the credibility of the Catholic faith applies to all the truths contained in the deposit of divine Revelation. Rational credibility is a property common to each and every truth of faith. It does not provide intrinsic evidence, direct vision, or scientific knowledge of Catholic dogmas or Christian mysteries, which remain incomprehensible. It does, however, demonstrate their extrinsic truth, that is, their real existence, insofar as they are guaranteed by the infallible authority of God.
The judgment of credibility is not yet the act of supernatural faith. Once the rational credibility of the Catholic faith is known, our intellect performs another act preparatory to this faith. Considering that the religion revealed by God is the one true religion, obligatory for all, and that the eternal salvation of every human being depends on its practice, we must logically conclude that the Catholic faith is an indispensable duty of ours. This conclusion is called, in technical theological language, the judgment of credentity. It is distinguished from the judgment of credibility because it is motivated by different arguments, namely, our dutiful submission to the divine teaching authority and our eternal salvation.
RATIONAL CREDIBILITY OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH
And when, with the inspiration and help of divine Grace, our intellect offers God the free homage of faith, it believes not for the reasons of credibility, but on account of the authority of God revealing, which is the formal motive of the Catholic faith. The motives of credibility must therefore be kept distinct from the reasons for credentity and from the formal motive of faith.
II. NECESSITY
The judgment of rational credibility is a necessary condition for every believer, so that his faith may be reasonable, firm, and obligatory, as it must be according to Catholic doctrine. Divine wisdom could not have imposed upon us the acceptance of truths superior to our understanding and necessary for our eternal salvation—truths to be believed solely on the authority of God revealing them, and with a faith so firm and irrevocable that we must suffer martyrdom rather than deny it—without giving us certain and secure proofs that these truths had truly been revealed by God.III. DEMONSTRABILITY
The rational credibility of the Catholic faith can be demonstrated with certainty (v. APOLOGETICA). The proofs of this demonstration are called by theologians by various names: they are called (logical) criteria, insofar as they enable one to distinguish divine Revelation from false human revelations; signs, because they designate the true revelation; motives, because they move the intellect to assent; arguments, in consideration of their demonstrative value.These arguments are manifold, of differing probative value, and can be classified in various ways; in some theological treatises, long and complicated lists of them are found. Essentially, according to their nature, they can be divided into two classes: intrinsic and extrinsic (to revealed doctrine); and, according to their demonstrative value, into two other categories: primary and secondary. Intrinsic arguments, also called internal, are derived from the characteristics or qualities of revealed doctrine, from the manner of its preaching, and from its natural fruits. Extrinsic arguments, also called external, are generally reduced to miraculous facts performed by God for the purpose of proving the divine and revealed origin of the truths that are the object of the Catholic faith. Arguments that provide certainty are called primary; those that prove only with probability are called secondary. Although the latter are insufficient on their own, they are nevertheless of great importance, since they eliminate prejudices against revealed doctrine, cause it to be better appreciated and loved, and move the intellect to a more attentive examination of the primary arguments, which they confirm; for this reason they are also called auxiliary and confirmatory arguments. On the primary arguments V. MIRACOLO.
The secondary arguments for the credibility of the Catholic faith can be summarized as follows. The doctrine proposed to our faith by the Catholic Church as revealed by God: a) is free from evident absurdities in the logical order and from evident contradictions with the natural moral law; b) constitutes an organic, coherent, perfect, sublime system, transcending all other philosophical or religious systems; c) responds admirably to the highest needs, desires, and aspirations of human nature, especially of upright and more virtuous persons; d) when it is practiced, it is inexhaustibly fruitful in every kind of good; e) considered in its essential elements and in its entirety, it cannot be explained as the result of a natural evolution from other religions or philosophies. Moreover, the revealers of this transcendent doctrine are humble, simple, unlearned persons; they declare that they are teaching not a doctrine of their own, but what God has manifested to them; and this assertion of theirs appears in itself worthy of belief to anyone who considers their wisdom and holiness.
The truth, perfection, transcendence, fruitfulness, and originality of the doctrine of faith, and the human authority of its revealers, are undoubtedly a valid argument for its divine and revealed origin. They are not, however, a certain argument, sufficient in itself, or primary, as some apologists maintain when they make it the principal and almost exclusive argument of their demonstration. The absence of evident errors and immorality in Catholic doctrine proves only the possibility of its divine origin, insofar as it is not unworthy of God. Strictly speaking, one could suppose a religious doctrine that was not revealed and that did not contradict either the certain principles of reason or the natural dictates of our conscience. Nor does the transcendent perfection of Catholic doctrine demonstrate with certainty its revealed origin. It is impossible to determine what degree of perfection is required for a doctrine necessarily to be called revealed, since we do not know how far a human genius might go by its natural powers alone, or even with divine assistance in the natural order. It must also be kept in mind that most of the truths of faith, and the most fundamental ones, are supernatural mysteries transcending human intelligence, whose intrinsic evidence cannot be demonstrated even after the Revelation. Furthermore, an examination of the sublimity, beauty, and harmony of the ethical-religious system of the Catholic religion requires an intelligent, educated person, free from prejudices and passions, mature age, and prolonged study; it is therefore not an argument within everyone’s reach. As for the correspondence of Catholic doctrine with the spiritual aspirations of human nature, it must be observed that this does not extend to all the beliefs, laws, and maxims of Catholic doctrine; that, in order to be established through our inner experience, it presupposes the practice of that faith whose rational credibility must already have been demonstrated with certainty by other arguments; and that the recognition of the identity between Catholic beliefs and the spiritual laws of human life depends greatly upon our subjective dispositions, is usually inconstant, and is a source of errors and illusions. Finally, the beneficial fruits of Catholic doctrine prove that this doctrine is true; but, although everything revealed by God is true, not everything that is true is also revealed by God. In the demonstration of the rational credibility of the Catholic faith, it is therefore necessary to prove that the object of this faith comes from God “through a supernatural revelation,” because it must be believed not on account of its intrinsic evidence, but on account of the infallible authority of God revealing, as has already been said.
Only when the effects produced by Catholic doctrine surpass the powers of human nature can its divine and revealed origin be inferred from them; but in such cases we are already dealing with miraculous facts and therefore with extrinsic arguments.
IV. THE INTERVENTION OF GRACE IN THE JUDGMENT OF C
Considered in itself, the judgment of credibility is a natural act, which our intellect can perform by its own powers, since it is the necessary conclusion of a syllogism. This, however, does not exclude the assistance of the Holy Spirit, whose reality is taught by the First Vatican Council (Denz-U, 1790). The judgment of credibility, an indispensable condition of a faith necessary for the eternal salvation of every human being, presents many difficulties, especially in particular cases involving apologetic ignorance, poorly developed intelligence, or consciences steeped in prejudices or ensnared by passions. God, who wills the salvation of all, intervenes with internal and external, natural and supernatural aids, according to the needs of each person and the designsCREDIBILITÀ RAZIONALE DELLA FEDE CATTOLICA - CREDITO
of his wisdom. And pastoral apologetics must appeal to these individual divine helps, take full account of them, and obtain them through prayer.
Divine Providence, for example, may place us in a situation in which we are almost compelled to examine carefully the foundations of the Catholic faith; it may strengthen our intellect so that we may better understand their demonstrative value; fortify the will so as to overcome difficulties and hesitations and restrain the disordered inclinations of egoism, pride, and lust, which lead our minds astray in the search for truth. This action of divine Grace does not replace the rational arguments for credibility, nor does it give them a value different from that which they objectively possess, as though an argument that was logically insufficient in itself could become sufficient through the Grace of God; rather, it presupposes them, helping us to know them more clearly and effectively. Considering divine omnipotence, one must also admit that God can dispense with all the arguments for credibility enumerated above and communicate directly to one who is disposed to faith the certainty of the divine and revealed origin of Catholic doctrine, enlightening his mind and moving his will in an extraordinary manner. There is then the so-called internal or spiritual miracle, possessing the same demonstrative value as the external and physical miracle, provided that its divine and supernatural origin and its connection with the doctrines of faith can be known with certainty. Common experience, however, shows us that the internal miracle is an exceptional occurrence. Moreover, by its very nature the internal miracle is a subjective and individual argument for credibility, valid only for the person who is favored by II. The economy of divine Providence therefore normally makes use of objective, public, and universal arguments for credibility, which avoid the dangers of a subjectivism that can easily become illusory and fanatical. For this reason, the First Vatican Council condemned the doctrine according to which “divine Revelation cannot be rendered credible by external signs, and consequently human beings must be led to faith solely by internal and personal experience or by a private inspiration” (Denz-U, 1812).