DOGMA OF ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
By Edward Matulanya In Roman Catholic theology, dogma is a divinely revealed truth in matters of faith or morals that the Church’s Magisterium formally defines as binding for all the faithful. Such teachings are drawn from Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition and are proclaimed with the charism of infallibility by the Pope or an ecumenical council (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 1997/2019, §§88–91). Catholics must give these truths the assent of divine and Catholic faith—an unconditional belief—because they rest on God’s own authority as revealed and safeguarded by the Church (Second Vatican Council, 1964/2012, Lumen gentium, §25). Dogmas do not change in substance, though their understanding can deepen over time as the Church reflects more fully on revelation (CCC, 1997/2019, §94). Classic examples include the Trinity , the Incarnation, the Immaculate Conception, and the Assumption of Mary. Major Dogmas of the Catholic Church 1. The Trinity Trinity The one God exists ...