Dogma vs. Doctrine

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Could somebody kindly explain the difference between Catholic Dogma and Docrtine. Dogma is infallible and unchangeble, does the same hold true with docrines?
 
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
**DOCTRINE/DOGMA: ** The revealed teachings of Christ which are proclaimed by the fullest extent of the exercise of the authority of the Church’s Magisterium. The faithful are obliged to believe the truths or dogmas contained in divine Revelation and defined by the Magisterium (88).
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**88 **
The Church’s Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these.
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**89 **
There is an organic connection between our spiritual life and the dogmas. Dogmas are lights along the path of faith; they illuminate it and make it secure. Conversely, if our life is upright, our intellect and heart will be open to welcome the light shed by the dogmas of faith.
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**90 **
The mutual connections between dogmas, and their coherence, can be found in the whole of the Revelation of the mystery of Christ. “In Catholic doctrine there exists an order or ‘hierarchy’ of truths, since they vary in their relation to the foundation of the Christian faith.”
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Dogmas are basically *defined * doctrines, doctrine being an overall term describing Christian teaching. Also, Pope Benedict (when he was Cardinal Ratzinger) pointed out that “Dogma is the Church’s interpretation of Scripture.”

Both doctrine (basic teaching and beliefs, such as the fact that Scripture is inspired) and defined dogma (like the Immaculate Conception of Mary) are both unchangable and binding upon Catholics.
 
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Atanatar:
Could somebody kindly explain the difference between Catholic Dogma and Docrtine. Dogma is infallible and unchangeble, does the same hold true with docrines?
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Doctrine can be revised or withdrawn - the existence of a “Limbo of infants” for those dying without baptism is the classic example.​

The only books I’ve seen it taught in since 1965 are:
  • Denzinger’s Enchiridion (ed. 36, published 1976 - the last, or second-last edition not to include documents from Vatican II)
  • The Teaching of Christ (published 1976)
When Limbo was brought up by Vittorio Messori in his interview with the then Cardinal Ratzinger in 1984, the Cardinal said that personally, he “would abandon it, since it was only a theological hypothesis”. He did say that he was not speaking as Prefect of the SCF in saying this The Ratzinger Report, p. 147].

Messori notes that the official catechism of the Italian bishops does not mention it.

Yet it used to enjoy high theological status - sufficiently high, for belief in the unsaved status of unbaptised infants to influence liturgical practice: they were not buried in consecrated ground.

So it is very hard not to see that the CC has changed its teaching on this point. Which proves, ISTM, that doctrines can change. What has not changed, is the dogma that it is impossible to enter eternal life if one does not die in God’s grace. But that is not quite what the doctrine of the existence of a Limbo for infants was about - whether there were a limbo for the unbaptised, was the issue; that, and what it was like. ##
 
Er, Limbo was never Doctrine. Doctrine, to the contrary, is infallible and can never be withdrawn, although our understanding of it can be enhanced.

You are accurate when you call it a theological concept of high distinction, but not when you call it doctrine.

Josh
 
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threej_lc:
Er, Limbo was never Doctrine. Doctrine, to the contrary, is infallible and can never be withdrawn, although our understanding of it can be enhanced.

You are accurate when you call it a theological concept of high distinction, but not when you call it doctrine.

Josh
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Ditto.
 
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