Deposit of Faith

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The Deposit of Faith is, collectively, what the Church holds to be true. Is is based upon the source or fount of revealed truths, namely, Scripture and Tradition, which must be accepted by all true Christians on the authority of God.

The Deposit of Faith is what we believe.
 
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Big_Easy_Big:
The Deposit of Faith is, collectively, what the Church holds to be true. Is is based upon the source or fount of revealed truths, namely, Scripture and Tradition, which must be accepted by all true Christians on the authority of God.

The Deposit of Faith is what we believe.
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Leaving aside Scripture for the moment, what makes up the “body” of Sacred Tradition? Can you list the writings or oral statements that make up Sacred Tradition?

Peace
 
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EA_Man:
I couldn’t get that page to load unfortunately. Any other resources?Thanks
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Just do a simple search EA_Man.
We look to extant manuscripts of sermons, essays, Church documents, etc. from the Church Fathers that affirm that what we believe today is the same things that they believed then.
 
  1. God, our Creator and Lord, can be known with certainty, by the natural light of reason from created things.
  2. God’s existence is not merely an object of natural rational knowledge, but also an object of supernatural faith.
  3. God’s nature is incomprehensible to men.
  4. The blessed in Heaven possess an immediate intuitive knowledge of the Divine Essence.
  5. The Immediate Vision of God transcends the natural power of cognition of the human soul, and is therefore supernatural.
  6. The soul, for the Immediate Vision of God, requires the light of glory.
  7. God’s Essence is also incomprehensible to the blessed in Heaven.
  8. The Divine Attributes are really identical among themselves and with the Divine Essence.
  9. God is absolutely perfect.
  10. God is absolutely simple.
  11. There is only One God. *
  12. The One God is, in the ontological sense, The True God.
  13. God is absolute veracity.
  14. God is absolutely faithful.
  15. God is absolute ontological Goodness in Himself and in relation to others.
  16. God is absolute Moral Goodness or Holiness.
  17. God is absolute Benignity.
  18. God is absolutely immutable.
  19. God is eternal.
  20. God is immense or absolutely immeasurable.
  21. God is everywhere present in created space.
  22. God’s knowledge is infinite.
  23. God knows all real things in the past, the present and the future.
  24. By the knowledge of vision God also foresees the future free acts of the rational creatures with infallible certainty.
  25. God’s divine will is infinite.
  26. God loves Himself of necessity, but loves and wills the creation of extra-Divine things, on the other hand, with freedom.
  27. God is almighty. *
  28. God is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth. *
  29. God is infinitely just.
  30. God is infinitely merciful.
  31. In God there are Three Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Each of these Three Persons possesses the one (numerical) Divine Essence. *
  32. In God there are two Internal Divine Processions. *
  33. The Divine Persons, not the Divine Nature, are the subject of the Internal Divine processions (in the active and in the passive sense).
  34. The Second Divine Person proceeds from the First Divine Person by Generation, and therefore is related to Him as Son to a Father. *
  35. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son as from a Single Principle through a Single Spiration. [N.B. Orthodox Church rejects this.]
  36. The Holy Spirit does not proceed through generation but through spiration. *
  37. The Three Divine Persons are in One Another.
  38. All the ad extra Activities of God are common to the Three Persons.
  39. All that exists outside of God was, in its whole substance, produced out of nothing by God.
  40. God was moved by His Goodness to create the world.
  41. The world was created for the Glorification of God.
  42. The Three Divine Persons are one single, common Principle of Creation. *
  43. God created the world free from exterior compulsion and inner necessity.
  44. God has created a good world.
  45. The world had a beginning in time.
  46. God alone created the world.
  47. God keeps all created things in existence.
  48. God, through His Providence, protects and guides all that He has created.
  49. The First Man was created by God.
  50. Man consists of two essential parts-a material body and a spiritual soul.
  51. The rational soul is per se the essential form of the body.
  52. Every human being possesses an individual soul.
  53. God has conferred on man a supernatural destiny.
  54. Our first parents, before the Fall, were endowed with sanctifying grace.
  55. Our First Parents in Paradise sinned grievously through transgression of the Divine probationary commandment.
  56. Through sin our First Parents lost sanctifying grace and provoked the anger and the indignation of God.
  57. Our First Parents became subject to death and to the dominion of the Devil.
  58. Adam’s sin is transmitted to his posterity, not by imitation, but by descent.
  59. Original sin is transmitted by natural generation.
  60. Souls who depart life in the state of original sin are excluded from the Beatific Vision.
  61. In the beginning of time God created spiritual essences (angels) out of nothing.
  62. The nature of angels is spiritual.
  63. The Devil possesses a certain dominion over mankind by reason of Adam’s sin.
  64. Jesus Christ is True God and True Son of God. *
  65. Christ assumed a real body, not an apparent body. *
  66. Christ assumed not only a body but also a rational soul. *
  67. Christ was truly generated and born of a daughter of Adam, the Virgin Mary. *
  68. The Divine and human natures are united hypostatically in Christ, that is, joined to each other in one Person. *
  69. In the Hypostatic Union each of the two natures of Christ continues unimpaired, untransformed and unmixed with the other. *
 
  1. Each of the two natures in Christ possesses its own natural will and its own natural mode of operation. *
  2. The Hypostatic Union of Christ’s human nature with the Divine Logos took place at the moment of conception. *
  3. The Hypostatic Union will never cease. *
  4. The Hypostatic Union was effected by the Three Divine Persons acting in common.
  5. Only the Second Divine Person became Man.
  6. Not only as God but as man Jesus Christ is the natural Son of God.
  7. The God-Man Jesus Christ is to be venerated with one single mode of Worship, the absolute Worship of Latria which is due to God alone. *
  8. Christ’s Divine and Human characteristics and activities are to be predicated of the one Word Incarnate. *
  9. Christ was free from all sin, from original sin as well as from all personal sin.
  10. Christ’s human nature was passible.
  11. The Son of God became man in order to redeem men.
  12. Fallen man cannot redeem himself.
  13. The God-Man Jesus Christ is a High Priest. *
  14. Christ offered Himself on the Cross as a true and proper sacrifice. *
  15. Christ by His Sacrifice on the Cross has ransomed us and reconciled us with God.
  16. Christ did not die for the predestined only.
  17. Christ, through His Passion and Death, merited reward from God.
  18. After His Death, Christ’s soul, which was separated from His body, descended into the underworld. *
  19. On the third day after His Death Christ rose gloriously from the dead. *
  20. Christ ascended body and soul into Heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. *
  21. Mary is truly the Mother of God. *
  22. Mary was conceived without stain of original sin.
  23. Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit without the co-operation of man. *
  24. Also after the Birth of Jesus Mary remained a virgin. *
  25. Mary was assumed body and soul into Heaven.
  26. There is a supernatural intervention of God in the faculties of the soul, which precedes the free act of the will.
  27. There is a supernatural intervention of God in the faculties of the soul which coincides in time with man’s free act of will.
  28. For every salutary act internal supernatural grace of God is absolutely necessary.
  29. Internal supernatural grace is absolutely necessary for the beginning of faith and of salvation.
  30. Without the special help of God the justified cannot persevere to the end in justification.
  31. The justified person is not able for his whole life long to avoid all sins, even venial sins, without the special privilege of the grace of God.
  32. Even in the fallen state, man can, by his natural intellectual power, know religious and moral truths.
  33. For the performance of a morally good action Sanctifying Grace is not required.
  34. In the state of fallen nature it is morally impossible for man without Supernatural Revelation, to know easily, with absolute certainty and without admixture of error, all religious and moral truths of the natural order.
  35. Grace cannot be merited by natural works either de condigno or de congruo.
  36. God gives all the just sufficient grace for the observation of the Divine Commandments.
  37. God, by His Eternal Resolve of Will, has predetermined certain men to eternal blessedness.
  38. God, by an Eternal Resolve of His Will, predestines certain men, on account of their foreseen sins, to eternal rejection.
  39. The Human Will remains free under the influence of efficacious gracious, which is not irresistible.
  40. There is a grace which is truly sufficient and yet remains inefficacious.
  41. The sinner can and must prepare himself by the help of actual grace for the reception of the grace by which he is justified.
  42. The justification of an adult is not possible without Faith.
  43. Besides, faith, further acts of disposition must be present.
  44. Sanctifying grace sanctifies the soul.
  45. Sanctifying grace makes the just man a friend of God.
  46. Sanctifying grace makes the just man a child of God and gives him a claim to the inheritance of Heaven.
  47. The three Divine or theological virtues of faith, hope and love are infused with sanctifying grace.
  48. Without special Divine Revelation no one can know with the certainty of faith, if he be in the state of grace.
  49. The degree of justifying grace is not identical in all the just.
  50. Grace can be increased by good works.
  51. The grace by which we are justified may be lost, and is lost by every grievous sin.
  52. By his good works the justified man really acquires a claim to supernatural reward from God.
  53. A just man merits for himself through each good work an increase of sanctifying grace, eternal life (if he dies in a state of grace) and an increase of heavenly glory.
  54. The Church was founded by the God-Man Jesus Christ.
  55. Christ founded the Church in order to continue His work of redemption for all time.
 
Data Source: catholicfaithandreason.org/depositoffaith.htm

Deposit of Faith = Sacred Oral Tradition + Sacred Scriptures

Oral Tradition–Jesus commissioned the Apostles to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to carry out everything I have commanded you” (Mt.28: 19-20). He promised that the Holy Spirit would “instruct you in everything and remind you of all that I have told you” (John 14:26). Just before his ascension into heaven Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mk16:15). He commanded them to do precisely what He himself had done, namely, deliver the Word of God to the people by the living voice and granted them, through the Holy Spirit, the gift of tongues. He told them, “He who hears you hears me and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects Him who sent me.” (Luke 10:16)
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It was by this oral Apostolic Tradition that the Church discerned which books should be included in the New Testament.  Many were already in use in the house churches (Christianity was "underground" for three centuries and much persecuted)  St. Augustine endorses the same position when he says: "I should not believe the Gospel except on the authority of the Catholic Church" (Con. epist. Manichaei, fundam., n. 6).  As St. Paul urged in his epistle, 2 Thessalonians 2: 15, "So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter."
Sacred Scripture/the Bible–The Bible consists of the Old and New Testaments. The Church and the faith existed before the New Testament was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Jesus died between 30-33 A.D., but none of the Books were written before about 45-50 A.D. and only 3 or 4 of the twelve Apostles were among the human writers. In the mean time many thousands or even millions were converted before the Bible canon (73 books) was agreed upon. The New Testament was created by the Church, not the reverse as is sometimes maintained. The 27 books that would go into the New Testament, the canon, were not decided upon until the Council of Rome in 382 A.D. met under the authority of Pope Damasus I and this was reaffirmed at subsequent Councils at Hippo in 393 and Carthage in 397 A.D. (this latter is the one accepted by many Protestants). Many other books were in use by the Church from the Gospels of Peter and Thomas to the letters of Barnabas and Clement, but these were not determined to be a part of inspired Scripture. It could be argued that it is not logical for Protestants to accept the New Testament and yet reject the authority of the Catholic Church which provided it. It is also important to note that most people could not read in ancient times and only wealthy families could afford to purchase the papyrus on which books were written. In fact, only in the 20th century have most people around the globe become literate. The concept of the “'Bible alone” is therefore, neither practical, historical or Biblical since no verses in the Bible state that this is the case. This is rather a doctrine that took hold in some Protestant denominations during the Reformation.
The Bible is the inerrant word of God, but it is not a systematic presentation of all that was in the Deposit of Faith. For example, the doctrine of the Trinity, especially the understanding of how Christ united His divinity and humanity and who the Holy Spirit is were the subject of controversies and heresies necessitating the calling of Church Councils during the first 400 years of Church history (such as the Council of Jerusalem discussed in Acts 15 and the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D..) Why would God give the Church the Holy Spirit to inspire the writing of the New Testament, but not be give the same Holy Spirit to the Church for its interpretation in an infallible way? It was necessary that this be done because the Scriptures are not explicit in answering all theological and moral questions that arise. Scholars who have studied the Bible with zeal for 50 years or more often cannot agree on the basics, such as the meaning of baptism, how we are saved or what Jesus meant when He said, "This is my body." Jesus did not leave His Church without the means to understand the Scriptures. He promised in John 14: 26, "The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send will instruct you in everything and remind you of all that I have told you." As St. Paul testifies in 1 Timothy 3: 15, the Church is the "pillar and bulwark of truth." Jesus told Simon that, "you are Peter [when God gives someone a new name it comes with the grace to do His will] and on this rock I will build my Church and the powers of death [gates of hell] will not prevail against it" (Mt 16:18).
 
  1. Christ gave his Church and hierarchical constitution.
  2. The powers bestowed on the Apostles have descended to the bishops.
  3. Christ appointed the Apostle Peter to be the first of all the Apostles and to be the visible Head of the whole Church, by appointing him immediately and personally to the primacy of jurisdiction.
  4. According to Christ’s ordinance, Peter is to have successors in his Primacy over the whole Church and for all time.
  5. The successors of Peter in the Primacy are the bishops of Rome.
  6. The Pope possesses full and supreme power of jurisdiction over the whole Church, not merely in matters of faith and morals, but also in Church discipline and in the government of the Church.
  7. By virtue of Divine right the bishops possess and ordinary power of government over their dioceses.
  8. Christ is the Head of the Church.
  9. In the final decision on doctrines concerning faith and morals the Church is infallible.
  10. The primary object of infallibility is the formally revealed truths of Christian Doctrine concerning faith and morals.
  11. The Pope is infallible when he speaks ex cathedra.
  12. The totality of the Bishops in infallible, when they, either assembled in general council or scattered over the earth, propose a teaching of faith and morals as one to be held by all the faithful.
  13. The Church founded by Christ is unique and one. *
  14. The Church founded by Christ is holy. *
  15. The Church founded by Christ is catholic. *
  16. The Church founded by Christ is apostolic. *
  17. Membership of the Church is necessary for all men for salvation.
  18. It is permissible and profitable to venerate the Saints in Heaven, and to invoke their intercession.
  19. It is permissible and profitable to venerate the relics of the Saints.
  20. It is permissible and profitable to venerate the images of the Saints. *
  21. The living Faithful can come to the assistance of the souls in purgatory by their intercessions.
  22. The Sacraments of the New Covenant contain the grace which they signify, and bestow it on those who do not hinder it.
  23. The Sacraments work ex opere operato (operate by the completed sacramental action).
  24. All the Sacraments of the New Covenant confer sanctifying grace on the receivers.
  25. Three Sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders, imprint a character, that is, an indelible spiritual mark, and for this reason, cannot be repeated.
  26. The Sacramental Character is a spiritual mark imprinted on the soul.
  27. The Sacramental Character continues at least until the death of its bearer.
  28. All Sacraments of the New Covenant were instituted by Jesus Christ.
  29. There are Seven Sacraments of the New Law.
  30. The Sacraments of the new Covenant are necessary for the salvation of mankind.
  31. For the valid dispensing of the Sacraments it is necessary that the minister accomplish the Sacramental Sign in the proper manner.
  32. The minister must further have the intention at least doing what the Church does.
  33. In the case of adult recipients moral worthiness is necessary for the worthy or fruitful reception of the Sacraments.
  34. Baptism is a true Sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ.
  35. The material remota of the Sacrament of Baptism is true and natural water.
  36. Baptism confers the grace of justification.
  37. Baptism effects the remission of all punishments of sin, both the eternal and the temporal.
  38. Even if it be unworthily received, valid Baptism imprints on the soul of the recipient an indelible spiritual mark, the Baptismal Character, and for this reason, the Sacrament cannot be repeated.
  39. Baptism by water is, since the promulgation of the Gospel, necessary for all men without exception, for salvation.
  40. Baptism can be validly administered by anyone.
  41. Baptism can be received by any person in the wayfaring state who is not already baptized.
  42. The Baptism of young children is valid and licit.
  43. Confirmation is a true Sacrament properly so-called.
  44. Confirmation imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark, and for this reason, cannot be repeated.
  45. The ordinary minister of the Confirmation is the Bishop.
  46. The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are truly, really and substantially present in the Eucharist.
  47. Christ becomes present in the Sacrament of the Altar by the transformation of the whole substance of the bread into His Body and of the whole substance of the wine into His Blood.
  48. The Accidents of bread and wine continue after the change of the substance. [Case in point about language and culture, etc: here “accidents” means appearance and properties.]
  49. The Body and Blood of Christ together with His Soul and His Divinity and therefore the Whole Christ are truly present in the Eucharist.
 
  1. The Whole Christ is present under each of the two species. [Species means forms of bread and wine.]
  2. When either consecrated species is divided the Whole Christ is present in each part of the species.
  3. After the Consecration has been completed the Body and Blood are permanently present in the Eucharist.
  4. The Worship of Adoration must be given to Christ present in the Eucharist.
  5. The Eucharist is a true Sacrament instituted by Christ.
  6. The matter for the consummation of the Eucharist is bread and wine.
  7. For children before the age of reason the reception of the Eucharist is not necessary for salvation.
  8. Communion under two forms is not necessary for any individual member of the Faithful, either by reason of Divine precept or as a means of salvation.
  9. The power of consecration resides in a validly consecrated priest only.
  10. The Sacrament of the Eucharist can be validly received by every baptized person in the wayfaring state, including young children.
  11. For the worthy reception of the Eucharist the state of grace as well as the proper and pious disposition are necessary.
  12. The Holy mass is a true and proper Sacrifice.
  13. In the Sacrifice of the Mass, Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross is made present, its memory is celebrated, and its saving power is applied.
  14. In the Sacrifice of the Mass and in the Sacrifice of the Cross the Sacrificial Gift and the Primary Sacrificing Priest are identical; only the nature and the mode of the offering are different.
  15. The Church has received from Christ the power of remitting sins committed after Baptism.
  16. By the Church’s Absolution sins are truly and immediately remitted.
  17. The Church’s power to forgive sins extends to all sin without exception.
  18. The exercise of the Church’s power to forgive sins is a judicial act.
  19. The forgiveness of sins which takes place in the Tribunal of Penance is a true and proper Sacrament, which is distinct from the Sacrament of Baptism.
  20. Contrition springs from the motive of fear is a morally good and supernatural act.
  21. The Sacramental confession of sins is ordained by God and is necessary for salvation.
  22. By virtue of Divine ordinance all grievous sins according to kind and number, as well as those circumstances which alter their nature, are subject to the obligation of confession.
  23. The confession of venial sins is not necessary but is permitted and is useful.
  24. All temporal punishments for sins are not always remitted by God with the guilt of sin and the eternal punishment.
  25. The priest has the right and the duty, according to the nature of the sins and the ability of the penitent, to impose salutary and appropriate works of satisfaction.
  26. Extra-sacramental penitential works, such as the performance of voluntary penitential practices and the patient bearing of trials sent by God, possess satisfactory value.
  27. The form of the Sacrament of Penance consists in the words of Absolution.
  28. Absolution, in association with the acts of the penitent, effects the forgiveness of sins.
  29. The principal effect of the Sacrament of Penance is the reconciliation of the sinner with God.
  30. The Sacrament of Penance is necessary for salvation to those who, after Baptism, fall into grievous sin.
  31. The sole possessors of the Church’s Power of Absolution are the bishops and priests.
  32. Absolution given by deacons, clerics of lower rank, and laymen is not Sacramental Absolution.
  33. The Sacrament of Penance can be received by any baptized person, who, after Baptism, has committed a grievous or a venial sin.
  34. The Church possesses the power to grant Indulgences.
  35. The use of Indulgences is useful and salutary to the Faithful.
  36. Extreme Unction is a true and proper Sacrament instituted by Christ. [Note well how wording can change but not the essential truth; the Roman Catholic Church now calls this the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.]
  37. The remote matter of Extreme Unction is oil.
  38. The form consists in the prayer of the priest for the sick person which accompanies the anointing.
  39. Extreme Unction gives the sick person sanctifying grace in order to arouse and strengthen him.
  40. Extreme Unction effects the remission of grievous sins still remaining and of venial sins.
  41. Extreme Unction sometimes effects the restoration of bodily health, if this be of spiritual advantage.
  42. Only bishops and priests can validly administer Extreme Unction.
  43. Extreme Unction can be received only by the Faithful who are seriously ill.
  44. Holy Order is a true and proper Sacrament which was instituted by Christ.
  45. The consecration of priests is a Sacrament.
  46. Bishops are superior to priests.
 
  1. The Sacrament of Order confers sanctifying grace on the recipient.
  2. The Sacrament of Order imprints a character on the recipient.
  3. The Sacrament of Order confers a permanent spiritual power on the recipient.
  4. The ordinary dispenser of all grades of Order, both the sacramental and the non-sacramental, is the validly consecrated bishop alone.
  5. Marriage is a true and proper Sacrament instituted by God.
  6. From the sacramental contract of marriage emerges the Bond of Marriage, which binds both marriage partners to a lifelong indivisible community of life.
  7. The Sacrament of Matrimony bestows Sanctifying Grace on the contracting parties.
  8. In the present order of salvation death is a punishment for sin.
  9. All human beings subject to original sin are subject to the law of death.
  10. The souls of the just which in the moment of death are free from all guilt of sin and punishment for sin, enter into Heaven.
  11. The bliss of Heaven last for all eternity. *
  12. The degree of perfection of the beatific vision granted to the just is proportioned to each one’s merits.
  13. The souls of those who die in the condition of personal grievous sin enter Hell.
  14. The punishment of Hell lasts for all eternity.
  15. The souls of the just which, in the moment of death, are burdened with venial sins or temporal punishment due to sins, enter Purgatory.
  16. At the end of the world Christ will come again in glory to pronounce judgment. *
  17. All the dead will rise again on the last day with their bodies. *
  18. The dead will rise again with the same bodies as they had on earth.
  19. Christ, on his second coming, will judge all men. *
 
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Mickey:
Just do a simple search EA_Man.
We look to extant manuscripts of sermons, essays, Church documents, etc. from the Church Fathers that affirm that what we believe today is the same things that they believed then.
Click to expand...
What I’m looking for is an ‘approved’ list. Maybe one that has been declared infallible or has received an imprimatur. Any chance that there’s one of those kicking around somewhere?

Thanks
 
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EA_Man:
What I’m looking for is an ‘approved’ list. Maybe one that has been declared infallible or has received an imprimatur. Any chance that there’s one of those kicking around somewhere?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Hi EA_Man!
There is so much material, so many documents, it boggles the mind. I cannot do you your homework for you. Sorry, you’re on your own here. But I will give you a link to one of my favorite pieces of the deposit of faith. Enjoy!

saintignatiuschurch.org/letters.html
 
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EA_Man:
What I’m looking for is an ‘approved’ list. Maybe one that has been declared infallible or has received an imprimatur. Any chance that there’s one of those kicking around somewhere?

Thanks
Click to expand...
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the closest thing to what you describe. Unfortunately, it does not differentiate between the Deposit of Faith and other authoritative Church teachings.
 
So how is a faithful Catholic supposed to know what is in the Deposit of Faith?

Peace
 
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EA_Man:
So how is a faithful Catholic supposed to know what is in the Deposit of Faith?

Peace
Click to expand...
We are taught from the pulpit, we read the Catechism, we study writings of the Church Fathers, extant manuscripts of sermons, essays, Church documents, etc. etc. etc…

I don’t know what else you are looking for here. There is so much, we probably could not get to it all in a lifetime. But we are blessed to be able to drink from this deep well of rich history and Sacred Tradition.

Your interrogation seems to be circular. There is no official “deposit of faith list” to study. There are no ultra-secret vatican documents. Seek and ye shall find. There is about 2000 years worth of material. 😃
 
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EA_Man:
So how is a faithful Catholic supposed to know what is in the Deposit of Faith?

Peace
Click to expand...
Many faithful Catholics accept all the Church’s teachings as described in the Catechism without attempting to distinguish between fallible and infallible. Even some Doctors of Sacred Theology don’t have a real interest in identifying which Church teachings are infallible.

For example, take Vatican II. Some people accept the entire council without hesitation. Others want to know which bits and pieces are truly infallible, on the mistaken theory that they can ignore the rest.

Here is an analogy, which probably won’t go over too well, as none of my analogies seem to make sense to other people. Imagine a person wanting to know what the absolute minimum is that they can do and still go to Heaven. On the one hand, you can just go and answer the question. On the other hand, it is clear that this person is missing something fundamental about the Christian faith to focus so intently on the minimum required.

But if you really want to identify the Deposit of Faith, the list I gave you (from Ott) is a good place to start. You can track each statement back to the corresponding council or pope if you want to go the next step.
 
EA_Man,

While this seems to be a typical Protestant line of attack (“You can’t show me an infallible list therefore you don’t know what’s infallible!”), I hope the following link, coupled with the writings of the Early Church Fathers, will suffice.

May God bless you richly,
RyanL
 
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EA_Man:
I couldn’t get that page to load unfortunately. Any other resources?

Thanks
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This link seems to be back up again. It contains some very useful explanatory material in addition to the list itself which I quoted here.
 
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