„Dogmat” w życiu wspólnoty chrześcijańskiej w interpretacji J.H. Newmana

Abstract

The word “dogma” can make modern man think of “a stagnation” or conservatism – while dogmatic wording is of great importance in the life of a Christian community that is sent to preach the gospel to all nations and to all mankind (Mk 16,15). J.H. Newman in his theology pays attention to a crucial importance of a dogma. In his opinion the role of a dogma is to specify the faith of the Church and it allows differentiating the real doctrine from every falsification. A dogma originates from the current reflection of the Church on God’s revelation i.e. the revelation that is experienced in the believers’ community. It is put forward and announced by the Church authorities but simultaneously it includes the faith of all members of the Church. Newman also emphasizes the necessity of the steady development of a dogma: it would consist in more and more attentive getting to the core of its content. The development is to take place in such a way that the truths which are included in revealed sentences – as one might say in hiding – become clearer and more distinct in the consciousness of the Church in a suitable moment. Next, the attribute of infallibility plays a particular role during the process of formulating a dogma. According to Newman, this attribute is a sign of God the Creator i.e. the sign of His mercy in order to defend religion in the world and protect it against abuse. Infallibility, however, must always refer to the Scriptures and the Christian Tradition. To sum up, we will say that Newman is a man of merit not only because he draws attention to the crucial role of a dogma in the life of the Church but also because he points out the necessity of its development in history. For this reason, one can say that today it is still a current task for dogmatic theology to teach the doctrine of faith to modem people in a more and more appropriate way. It is also necessary to verify the content of what is preached as well as put forward and announced by the Church as it should encompass every current existence instead of being “left in a vacuum”.