A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine
Despite the consolidation of papal power and the papal
rejection of liberal theology, rationalism and liberalism
began to affect the Roman Catholic Church. As with
Protestantism in the early twentieth century, it became
common for Catholic scholars to use modern critical methods
of studying the Bible. Their reinterpretations of the
Bible were not as devastating as those of the Protestants,
however, because as Catholics they affirmed the authority
of church tradition and the continuing work of the Holy
Spirit to lead the church into new doctrinal understandings.
Thus, even if they concluded that the Bible did not support
a certain doctrine, they could uphold it on the basis of postbiblical
tradition and progressive revelation.
For example, many Catholic theologians have
acknowledged that the Scriptures do not explicitly teach
the doctrine of the trinity. Nevertheless, they maintain
that the Holy Spirit progressively revealed it over the centuries
through church fathers, councils, and creeds. Some
have urged Protestants to accept other doctrines that
have developed over the centuries, such as the veneration
of Mary, on the same basis that they accept the trinity.
The Doctrine of Mary
The latest development of official Roman Catholic
doctrine came in 1950, when Pope Pius XII proclaimed
the bodily assumption of Mary. He taught that at the end
of her life Mary was taken up into heaven, body and
soul. While many Catholics had long believed this doctrine,
it did not become official church teaching until
1950. To date, this pronouncement is the only time that
a pope has officially invoked the doctrine of papal infallibility
since it was defined in 1870.
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