Friday, 16 February 2024

William of Ockham, Dialogus, part 1, book 2, chapter 5


Some people have the idea that the Catholic teaching builds on three pillars. Bible, Tradition, Magisterium. Some have the idea that in practise this means "Magisterium, Magisterium, Magisterium" ... William of Ockham actually holds to sth like Bible, Apostolic Tradition, chronicles of the Church, conclusions between any of above (conclusions within each belongs to that heading) and private revelation, should it duly be notified to the whole Church. And certified.

He nevertheless accepts that, when a new heresy pops up, it belongs to the magisterium to condemn it.

But only in affirming what belongs to the above mentioned five.

They hold this as quite certain, that it is not in the power of the church to approve or also to reject anything at all as it pleases, but when the church has approved anything correctly it has based itself on some of the above five kinds of truth. Hence also in the present case they do not make any real distinction, although there is a nominal distinction, between approval on the one hand or determination or definition on the other.


For context:

William of Ockham, Dialogus, part 1, book 2, chapters 1-17
Text and translation by John Scott. Copyright © 1999, The British Academy
http://publications.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/pubs/dialogus/t1d2a.html


Capitulum 5 Chapter 5
 
Discipulus Ex his quae narrasti magnam occasionem cogitandi mihi dedisti de ipsis, tamen plura quaerere nunc nequaquam nunc intendo. Sed quot generibus veritatum oporteat christianos catholicos assentire secundum sententiam praedictorum absque omni probatione tibi placeat indicare. Student You have given me a fine opportunity to think about these things by what you have said, yet I do not intend to seek to know more now. But would you please indicate without any proof how many kinds of truth, according to the opinion of the aforesaid, it is necessary for catholic christians to assent to.
 
According to the second opinion, there are five kinds of truth Catholics must accept
 
Magister Tenent isti quod quinque sunt genera veritatum quibus non licet christianis aliqualiter dissentire. Primum est earum quae in Scriptura Sacra traduntur vel ex eis argumento necessario possunt inferri. Secundum est earum quae ab apostolis ad nos per succedentium relationem vel scripturas fidelium pervenerunt, licet in Scripturis Sacris non inveniantur insertae nec ex solis eis possint necessario argumento concludi. Tertium est earum quas in fide dignis cronicis et historiis vel relationibus fidelium invenimus. Quartum est earum quae ex veritatibus primi generis et secundi tantummodo vel ex eis vel alterius earum una cum veritatibus tertii generis possunt manifeste concludi. Quintum est earum quas Deus praeter veritates revelatas apostolis aliis revelavit vel etiam inspiravit aut noviter revelaret vel etiam inspiraret, quae revelatio vel inspiratio ad universalem ecclesiam absque dubitatione pervenit vel etiam perveniret. Master They hold that there are five kinds of truth from which christians are not permitted to dissent in any way. The first is those which are handed down in sacred scripture or can be inferred from them by necessary argument. The second is those which have come to us from the apostles through the report of those who succeeded them or through the writings of the faithful, even if they may not be found included in the sacred scriptures and can not be inferred from them alone by necessary argument. The third is those which we find in chronicles or histories or the accounts of believers which are worthy of trust. The fourth is those which can be clearly inferred from truths of the first and second kind alone or from them or one or other of them together with truths of the third kind. The fifth is those which, in addition to the truths revealed to the apostles, God revealed to or, also, inspired in others or would newly reveal or even inspire, a revelation or inspiration which has come or, also, would come to the universal church without any doubt.
 
Discipulus Quamvis non intenderim de istis te amplius molestare, quia tamen unum genus veritatum de quibus nullus dubitat catholicus omisisti edissere quare isti inter alias veritates illas quae in decretalibus et diffinitionibus ecclesiae reperiuntur nequaquam enumerant? Student Although I did not intend to trouble you further about these matters, nevertheless because you omitted one kind of truth about which no catholic has doubts, set down why they do not count among other truths those which are found in the decretals and definitions of the church?
 
Magister Ideo de illis veritatibus mentionem non faciunt specialem quia putant quod ecclesia rite procedens nullam veritatem determinat aut diffinit nisi in Scriptura Sacra aut traditionibus apostolorum aut cronicis, historiis, vel revelationibus indubitabilibus fidelium vel in his quae sequuntur ex praedictis aut aliquo praedictorum vel in revelatione seu inspiratione divina modo debito manifestata valeat se fundare. Et ideo omnes veritates quas determinat aut diffinit ecclesia sub aliquo quinque generum praefatorum comprehendi noscuntur. Master They do not make particular mention of those truths for this reason, that they think that when the church proceeds correctly it determines or defines no truth unless it can base itself on sacred scripture, on the traditions of the apostles, on indubitable chronicles, histories or revelations of believers, or on those things which follow from these or any one of them, or on divine revelation or inspiration manifested in the due way. And all the truths that the church determines or defines, therefore, are known to be included under some of the above five kinds.
 
Discipulus Illa quae refers urgent me contra propositum praeconceptum interrogare. Quid de approbatione canonis bibliae et aliorum librorum postea conscriptorum ac omnium aliorum quae ecclesia noscitur approbare assertores sentiunt memorati? Student What you are reporting urges me to ask questions about the above proposition. What do those who affirm the above position think about the approval of the canon of the bible, of other books composed later and of all the others which the church is known to approve?
 
Magister Hoc pro certissimo tenent quod non est in potestate ecclesiae quaecunque ad placitum approbare vel etiam improbare, sed ecclesia rite approbando quaecunque in aliquo praedictorum quinque generum veritatum se fundavit. Unde et approbationem quantum ad rem, licet quantum ad nomen, a determinatione vel diffinitione in proposito non discernunt. Master They hold this as quite certain, that it is not in the power of the church to approve or also to reject anything at all as it pleases, but when the church has approved anything correctly it has based itself on some of the above five kinds of truth. Hence also in the present case they do not make any real distinction, although there is a nominal distinction, between approval on the one hand or determination or definition on the other.

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