Involuntary Doubt

[catholic03]

Pax Christi,

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the following about involuntary doubt:

Involuntary doubt refers to hesitation in believing, difficulty in overcoming objections connected with the faith, or also anxiety aroused by its obscurity. If deliberately cultivated, doubt can lead to spiritual blindness. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Article 2088).

How is this to be interpreted? Let me give an example: somebody doubts the real presence of Our Blessed Lord in the eucharist:

• They defend the doctrine of transubstantiation.
• They profess belief in the doctrine.
• They want to believe in the doctrine.
• But, they have involuntary doubt and do not truly believe.
• However, they do not choose unbelief and continue to defend the doctrine despite their severe doubt.

This example applies to all doubt, whether it be about the existence of God, Christianity, Catholicism etc.

Does a person who experiences severe doubt about any doctrine BUT works to truly believe in it (by doing spiritual reading, research etc), wants to believe and PROFESSES belief commit a sin by experiencing such doubt? Or, could we argue that since the doubt is not consensual and the sufferer of the doubt professes belief and works towards truly believing, that it is therefore not a sin?

God Bless.

 

[Dedios]

St Mark tells the story of a man who had involuntary doubt. The man had a son who was possessed by an evil spirit. The man took his son to Jesus and said, "But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”.’ (Mk 9:22-24)

 

[vivnes]

It seems that involuntary doubt, is a effect of disobedience (a daughter sin of pride).
Saint Anselm echoing the teaching of Augustine, taught us that we do not understand first in order to believe; rather believe first, then we understand in order to better believe. The soul needs humility as a foundation to grow in the spiritual life.

We one is proud there is an excess in the consideration ones own abilities. Thus, they are gravely deficient to realize, that submission to the excellence of others (e.g., the teaching authority of the Church) is their only benefit and there own only true excellence.

 

[Vico]

…

The Catholic faith requires assent of the will to certain teachings. For those doctrines then it is wrong to say “I know what the Church teaches, but I refuse to assent to it.” or ““I know what the Church teaches, but I an going to ignore it.”

“Voluntary doubt about the faith disregards or refuses to hold as true what God has revealed and the Church proposes for belief.” - Catechism 2088

 

[fide]

The Catechism sentence describing “involuntary doubt” -

" Involuntary doubt refers to hesitation in believing, difficulty in overcoming objections connected with the faith, or also anxiety aroused by its obscurity"

and the following warning about it - “If deliberately cultivated…” - seem to me to describe a condition of faithfulness concerning the teachings of the Church, but with “hesitation” (as opposed to immediacy) in embracing it; “difficulty” as opposed to “ease” in understanding it; “anxiety in the obscurity” as opposed to certitude in the clarity of the teaching.

None of the descriptors of the “doubt” involved could apply to disbelief - the warning is for those who would “deliberately cultivate” the hesitations, difficulties and anxieties and not pray, study and search for the certitude that brings peace.

There is a “certitude” appropriate to faith! Such certitude is NOT that which is from natural confidence, but is from supernatural surety. The difference between the two is very important: supernatural, salvific faith is a gift of God, and has the certitude that is absolute, being from God: God cannot lie; all affirmed by God is true; God IS Truth itself. That which man concludes, reasons himself into, concludes from sensory experience, receives from respected teachers and thus holds in high regard - all that is received in natural faith, which is not absolute and thus can give at most a “sense” of confidence, but which admits the possibility of error (doubt).

Involuntary doubt is transient, a passing cloud. If and when it is embraced, welcomed and habitual (possibly so as to leave an opening for later rejection and disbelief), then it is gravely dangerous - a door to “spiritual blindness.”

Blessed John Henry Newman wrote, when asked about the many difficulties in Catholic doctrines, “A thousand difficulties do not make one single doubt.”

 

[po18guy]

From the Modern Catholic Dictionary, by Fr. John Hardon, S.J.†

INVOLUNTARY. Not under the control of the free will, hence spontaneous or automatic. Also what is contrary to one’s will or choice. What is involuntary is not morally imputable.

DOUBT. Hesitation of mind between contradictory views, accompanied by a fear of error. In methodical doubt a person is in a state of certainty but abstracts from this fact in order to critically examine the truth of some matter. It is the opposite of a real doubt. In practical doubt the mind is uncertain about a prudent course of action or the moral certitude about something to be done here and now. In speculative doubt there is uncertainty either about the mere truth or error of something or the merely abstract goodness of a course of action. Universal doubt is a state of suspended assent about any and every truth. In voluntary doubt the will enters to withhold assent even in the presence of sufficient evidence. (Etym. Latin dubium , doubt, deliberation; from dubitare .)

As a practical matter, if one is struggling to believe, God will provide the grace for the asking. I would think that culpability attaches if one fails to seek the grace necessary to believe wholeheartedly.

Further, such a person is very well advised to spend time before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Doubt will be erased in His presence, but one must be as patient with the Lord as the Lord has been with them.

 

[Vico]

…

None of the descriptors of the “doubt” involved could apply to disbelief - the warning is for those who would “deliberately cultivate” the hesitations, difficulties and anxieties and not pray, study and search for the certitude that brings peace.
…

Merriam Webster, to doubt:

• 1a) archaic: FEAR
• 1b) archaic: SUSPECT
• 2) to call into question the truth of : to be uncertain or in doubt about
• 3a) to lack confidence in: DISTRUST
• 3b) to consider unlikely
• intransitive verb: to be uncertain.

 

[goout]

If you are engaged in your faith and do not experience doubts, you probably haven’t thought very hard about it. Christianity is a challenge to the status quo, both externally and internally.

Doubts and natural skepticism can be a gift if engaged with good will. Doubts can lead you to deeper faith. Mother Teresa experienced the absence of God, painfully so. And she is a saint. She accepted what God allowed her, and gave it back to Him very fruitfully.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

If a person has doubt but, despite their doubt, is continuing to follow and even defend the teachings of the Church despite their doubt (rather than promulgating doubt to others), and moreover is keeping an open mind and even working to overcome their doubt, there is no sin being committed.

Doubt can come from our flawed human nature, or even from the Devil trying to knock us off the path. There are also many cases throughout Church history where someone who later became a saint disagreed with or disputed some aspect of Church teaching, but continued to follow whatever directives were handed down by his superiors and did not continue to push the issue, in other words was obedient despite perhaps lingering private doubts.

 

[Dan_Defender]

As a side, it is one thing to have doubts and quite another to promote doubt and dissent. There are people who are instruments of the devil, they pretend to have honest doubts, but what they really want is to sow doubt and cause the faithful to fall away. Some CAF posters fall into this category. We always need the gift of discernment.