Council of Nicea question

  • Thread starter Thread starter SAVINGRACE
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

SAVINGRACE

Guest
I just started reading the Council of Nicea and it’s weird (no offence intended). I am confused. Is this part of our Canon? :confused:

Canon 1

If anyone in sickness has undergone surgery at the hands of physicians or has been castrated by barbarians, let him remain among the clergy. But if anyone in good health has castrated himself, if he is enrolled among the clergy he should be suspended, and in future no such man should be promoted. But, as it is evident that this refers to those who are responsible for the condition and presume to castrate themselves, so too if any have been made eunuchs by barbarians or by their masters, but have been found worthy, the canon admits such men to the clergy.

Canon 3

“This great synod absolutely forbids a bishop, presbyter, deacon or any of the clergy to keep a woman who has been brought in to live with him, with the exception of course of his mother or sister or aunt, or of any person who is above suspicion.”

Canon 6.

The ancient customs of Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis shall be maintained, according to which the bishop of Alexandria has authority over all these places since a similar custom exists with reference to the bishop of Rome. Similarly in Antioch and the other provinces the prerogatives of the churches are to be preserved. In general the following principle is evident: if anyone is made bishop without the consent of the metropolitan, this great synod determines that such a one shall not be a bishop. If however two or three by reason of personal rivalry dissent from the common vote of all, provided it is reasonable and in accordance with the church’s canon, the vote of the majority shall prevail.
 
I think your are confused as to the definition of “canon”.

The council was called (like many) to refute and repair certain problems within the church and to get everyone back on the same page.
What is it about these three statements that upsets you?
Please remember the historical context of these remarks/events.
 
I suggest you read the Code of Canon Law of the Latin Church. The canons you cite are disciplinary canons, and thus can be modified. (note: This doesn’t mean that they have been modified for the specific canons you cite; I’m only speaking in general terms).
 
Thank you all for your answers especially Brendan for making it clear. 🙂
 
I have re-read the definitions and differences between dogma, discipline, doctrine and canon law and it’s a lot more clear. Still a bit dodgy between dogma and doctrine but the rest is settled.

Wish I learnt this at RCIA. 😦
 
The penalties may have long since been removed but one can’t easily dismiss the underlying moral or doctrinal principles involved. They don’t burn heretics at the stake anymore but that doesn’t mean heresy doesn’t exist.
 
SAVINGRACE said:
I have re-read the definitions and differences between dogma, discipline, doctrine and canon law and it’s a lot more clear.** Still a bit dodgy between dogma and doctrine** but the rest is settled.

Wish I learnt this at RCIA. 😦
Click to expand...
All dogma is doctrine but not all doctrine is dogma.
 
SAVINGRACE said:
I have re-read the definitions and differences between dogma, discipline, doctrine and canon law and it’s a lot more clear. Still a bit dodgy between dogma and doctrine but the rest is settled.

Wish I learnt this at RCIA. 😦
Click to expand...
All dogma is doctrine.
 
If i am not wrong, Orthodox Church accepts all canons of 7 Ecumenical Councils, Rome does not accept certain number of the canons. Why? 😃
 
Vaseljen said:
If i am not wrong, Orthodox Church accepts all canons of 7 Ecumenical Councils, Rome does not accept certain number of the canons. Why? 😃
Click to expand...
If we actually went through all the canons of the first 7 ecumenical councils, we would find that most of them no longer apply, or have been mitigated to a great extent. Take for example canon 14 of Nicea:

Concerning catechumens who have lapsed, this holy and great synod decrees that, after they have spent three years as hearers only, they shall then be allowed to pray with the catechumens.

In fact some canons outright contradict each other (e.g. canon 7 of Ephesus and the DoF at Chalcedon).
 
Vaseljen said:
If i am not wrong, Orthodox Church accepts all canons of 7 Ecumenical Councils, Rome does not accept certain number of the canons. Why? 😃
Click to expand...
Also, depending on which Orthodox Christian you ask, they might claim there are as many as 10 Ecumenical Councils. It seems the Orthodox church(es) lack the basic criteria of determining how a council becomes ecumenical.
 
SAVINGRACE
This may help:

**1) Dogma – infallible (Canon #750.1) **to be believed with the assent of divine and Catholic faith.
2) Doctrine – infallible (Canon #750.2) requires the assent of ecclesial faith, to be “firmly embraced and held”.
3) Doctrine – non-definitive (non-infallible) and requires intellectual assent (“loyal submission of the will and intellect”, Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 25), not an assent of faith.

“DOGMA. Doctrine taught by the Church to be believed by all the faithful as part of divine revelation. All dogmas, therefore, are formally revealed truths and promulgated as such by the Church. They are revealed either in Scripture or tradition, either explicitly (as the Incarnation) or implicitly (as the Assumption). Moreover, their acceptance by the faithful must be proposed as necessary for salvation. They may be taught by the Church in a solemn manner, as with the definition of the Immaculate Conception, or in an ordinary way, as with the constant teaching on the malice of taking innocent human life. (Etym. Latin dogma; from Greek dogma, declaration, decree.)”

“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 ordinarily in the perennial exercise of the Church’s magisterium or teaching authority. Dogmas are those doctrines which the Church proposes for belief as formally revealed by God. (Etym. Latin doctrina, teaching.)”
Modern Catholic Dictionary
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
therealpresence.org/cgi-bin/getdefinition.pl
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top