Religious Truths – Treasure of Faith

Andrej Lažeta

Religious Truths – Treasure of Faith

Key words: Catholic faith, Divine revelation, treasure of faith, Holy Bible, sacred tradition, religious truth, magisterium of the Church, theology, hierarchy of religious truths

Abstract:
This article addresses the subject of the treasure of Catholic faith and religious truths which are parts of faith based on the theological method of the Second Vatican Council, which effectively contributes to the salvation of the souls. (BR 9–10) The introduction emphasizes that the Catholic faith is not only a declaration, although it expresses itself via religious truths. Its main part is depositum fidei (the treasure of faith) presented through Revelation (Bible and Tradition) which consists of all religious truths or is the basis of their definitions. Since not all religious truths in the treasure of faith are specifically expressed, we want to describe the criteria for their cognition: authority of the Magisterium and theology based on truth, reason and harmony with the Revelation or the treasure of faith. We specially highlight that it is necessary to understand and coordinate religious truths, Magisterium and the treasure of faith, and that the researcher (theologian) needs natural and supernatural wisdom. At the end of the article a short description of the hierarchy of religious truths is given according to their content and degree (finality) of dogmatic definition and the primate of truth as the base of every religious truth.

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