Author Topic: Innocent III Contradicts St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Alphonsus about BoD (Read 4358 times)

Ladislaus · « **on:** August 22, 2014, 01:10:57 PM »

One of the key pieces of evidence adduced by the proponents of BoD comes from a letter written by Innocent III to the Bishop of Metz. Prescinding from the fact that this letter does not meet the criteria for infallibility, one interesting point is that it contradicts St. Thomas and St. Alphonsus on a key issue. St. Thomas and St. Alphonsus assert that BoD does not remit all the temporal punishment due to sin.

Now let's look at what Innocent III wrote:

Quote

If, however, such a one had died immediately, he would have rushed to his heavenly home without delay because of the faith of the sacrament, although not because of the sacrament of faith.

I'll come back to this point later because one of the dogmatic definitions regarding the grace of rebirth or of first justification uses the same language.

There are other problems with this quote that I'll get into as I have more time.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #1 on:** August 22, 2014, 01:16:24 PM »

So, who is right, or, rather, who is wrong?

CatholicKnight23 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 22, 2014, 02:50:33 PM »

you are correct!

Ladislaus · « **Reply #3 on:** August 22, 2014, 03:19:43 PM »

Would any of the Cushingites care to answer this question?

Given the direct contradiction between Innocent III and St. Thomas / St. Alphonsus, by applying the principle of non-contradiction, one must be right and the other must be wrong. So, which is it?

Ladislaus · « **Reply #4 on:** August 22, 2014, 03:36:16 PM »

Quote from: St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, Pt. III, Q. 68, A. 2, Reply to Obj. 2

If therefore a catechumen has the desire for Baptism... then such a one departing does not immediately attain eternal life but will suffer punishment for past sins. Nevertheless he himself will be saved in this way as though through fire, as stated in 1 Cor. III.