Church Dogma, Doctrine, Discipline, Practice, Custom

[meltzerboy]

Can anyone articulate the differences between Church dogma, doctrine, discipline, practice, and custom? I have some idea but would like a fuller distinction.

 

[Redratfish]

Can anyone articulate the differences between Church dogma, doctrine, discipline, practice, and custom? I have some idea but would like a fuller distinction.

The way someone tried to explain it to me once:

Dogma:
Must be believed, infallible, can only be modified, but never changed.

Doctrine:
Teachings of the Church, basis of the Church. Can change gradually over time, but also not flipflop

Discipline:
Something that is a practice of participants in the Church such as priestly celibacy that is instituted for a specific need. Can be changed.

Custom:
Depends, if it is a cultural thing, then of course it has no spiritually requirement. But if it is a custom such as male only priesthood, then that is also a Dogma, and must followed.

Hope this helps a little!

 

[po18guy]

Can anyone articulate the differences between Church dogma, doctrine, discipline, practice, and custom? I have some idea but would like a fuller distinction.

My brother, what you really need is a copy of Catholicism for Dummies. It will simply and clearly answer almost all questions about the faith. After 24 years in the faith, I broke down and bought a copy. I learn something each time I open it.

However,

Dogma is that teaching/belief which is unerringly defined by Church authority for all time as G-d’s revealed truth to mankind. Dogma issues forth when the Church is forced to set a teaching in stone - normally as a defense against heresy. All Dogmas were once doctrines.

Doctrine carries the same weight, as long as it is contained within the normal magisterium (teaching authority) of the Church. Doctrines have not had to be defined as dogma yet, and may never be, unless challenged by heretics. Doctrines and dogmas do not change, and may also be known as “big T Traditions” - the Sacred Tradition of the Apostles, which was handed on to succeeding generations of Christians as part of the deposit of faith.

Discipline regulates the actions of the priesthood or the laity. Discipline is subject to change, without affecting doctrine or dogma. Abstinence from eating meat on Fridays is an example. That can change, and has changed. It is also flexible depending upon a person’s age, health, etc. Discipline can also be known as “small t tradition.”

Practice and custom apply to the lesser affairs of the Church. They may fall under the broad category of disciplines, since they can change, from time to time.

Someone may correct me on this, but I believe this to be correct.

 

[thistle]

Dogmas and Doctrines

Doctrine - any truth taught by the Church as necessary for acceptance by the faithful.

The truth may be either formally revealed (as the Real Presence), or a theological conclusion (as the canonization of a saint), or part of the natural law (as the sinfulness of contraception). In any case, what makes it doctrine is that the Church authority teaches that it is to be believed. This teaching may be done either solemnly in ex cathedra pronouncements or decision of an ecumenical council, or this teaching may be taught ordinarily in the exercise of the Church’s magisterium or teaching authority.

Dogmas are those doctrines which the Church proposes for belief as formally revealed by God.

The difference in Dogmas and Doctrines is the level of certainty with which the magisterium teaches. Dogmas are taught with absolute certainty (beyond all doubt whatsoever), whereas doctrines are taught with moral certainty (similar to beyond reasonable doubt).

Dogmas require the assent of faith, meaning that obstinate doubt or denial of the truth of the dogma is the sin of heresy–a sin against the virtue of faith.

Doctrines require religious submission of intellect and will. Refusal to submit to doctrines of the Church is not a heresy, not a sin against faith, but a sin against charity. We are called to “obey our leaders and submit to them” (Heb 13:17). To dissent with doctrine is incompatible with humility, loyalty, and charity. It is a matter of placing one’s own fallible intellect and will above that of the mind of the Holy Catholic Church.

 

[meltzerboy]

My brother, what you really need is a copy of Catholicism for Dummies. It will simply and clearly answer almost all questions about the faith. After 24 years in the faith, I broke down and bought a copy. I learn something each time I open it.

However,

Dogma is that teaching/belief which is unerringly defined by Church authority for all time as G-d’s revealed truth to mankind. Dogma issues forth when the Church is forced to set a teaching in stone - normally as a defense against heresy. All Dogmas were once doctrines.

Doctrine carries the same weight, as long as it is contained within the normal magisterium (teaching authority) of the Church. Doctrines have not had to be defined as dogma yet, and may never be, unless challenged by heretics. Doctrines and dogmas do not change, and may also be known as “big T Traditions” - the Sacred Tradition of the Apostles, which was handed on to succeeding generations of Christians as part of the deposit of faith.

Discipline regulates the actions of the priesthood or the laity. Discipline is subject to change, without affecting doctrine or dogma. Abstinence from eating meat on Fridays is an example. That can change, and has changed. It is also flexible depending upon a person’s age, health, etc. Discipline can also be known as “small t tradition.”

Practice and custom apply to the lesser affairs of the Church. They may fall under the broad category of disciplines, since they can change, from time to time.

Someone may correct me on this, but I believe this to be correct.

Thank you for the clarification, Jim. I’ll pick up the Catholicism for Dummies book. Hope you are doing well.

 

[meltzerboy]

Dogmas and Doctrines

Doctrine - any truth taught by the Church as necessary for acceptance by the faithful.

The truth may be either formally revealed (as the Real Presence), or a theological conclusion (as the canonization of a saint), or part of the natural law (as the sinfulness of contraception). In any case, what makes it doctrine is that the Church authority teaches that it is to be believed. This teaching may be done either solemnly in ex cathedra pronouncements or decision of an ecumenical council, or this teaching may be taught ordinarily in the exercise of the Church’s magisterium or teaching authority.

Dogmas are those doctrines which the Church proposes for belief as formally revealed by God.

The difference in Dogmas and Doctrines is the level of certainty with which the magisterium teaches. Dogmas are taught with absolute certainty (beyond all doubt whatsoever), whereas doctrines are taught with moral certainty (similar to beyond reasonable doubt).

Dogmas require the assent of faith, meaning that obstinate doubt or denial of the truth of the dogma is the sin of heresy–a sin against the virtue of faith.

Doctrines require religious submission of intellect and will. Refusal to submit to doctrines of the Church is not a heresy, not a sin against faith, but a sin against charity. We are called to “obey our leaders and submit to them” (Heb 13:17). To dissent with doctrine is incompatible with humility, loyalty, and charity. It is a matter of placing one’s own fallible intellect and will above that of the mind of the Holy Catholic Church.

Thanks for this additional information. I had thought that disobedience to dogma was more serious than refusal to submit to doctrines. The latter then is not considered a mortal sin per se but perhaps can lead to such?

 

[meltzerboy]

The way someone tried to explain it to me once:

Dogma:
Must be believed, infallible, can only be modified, but never changed.

Doctrine:
Teachings of the Church, basis of the Church. Can change gradually over time, but also not flipflop

Discipline:
Something that is a practice of participants in the Church such as priestly celibacy that is instituted for a specific need. Can be changed.

Custom:
Depends, if it is a cultural thing, then of course it has no spiritually requirement. But if it is a custom such as male only priesthood, then that is also a Dogma, and must followed.

Hope this helps a little!

Thank you for this. So the only one that is immutable is dogma?

 

[thistle]

Thanks for this additional information. I had thought that disobedience to dogma was more serious than refusal to submit to doctrines. The latter then is not considered a mortal sin per se but perhaps can lead to such?

In both cases refusing to submit is a mortal sin but in the case of refusing to submit to dogmas that is also heresy.