A Church Doctor is not someone authorized to surgically remove your Corporal Work of Mercy if it becomes damaged. Or prescribe thorizine if you hear the voices of Saint Philomena and Saint Barbara telling you to lead French armies in battle....no. The title "doctor" comes from the Latin word docere which means "to teach." Doctors of the Church are writers who received this title from the Church, owing to their eminence in theology and holiness. The early church Fathers are extolled for their witness to the faith. Doctors of the Church are noted mostly for their brilliant exposition and skillful defense of Catholic doctrine.
The first to confer this title was Pope Boniface VIII, who in 1295 declared four Fathers the great Doctors of the Latin Church: Saint Ambrose, Saint Augustine, Saint Jerome, Saint Gregory the Great. The next to be declared a Doctor was Saint Thomas Aquinas in 1567. Since then 37 renowned theologians, all of them canonized saints have received the same seal of approval, either from some pope or from the Sacred Congregation of Rites; the latest was Saint Irenaeus of Lyons who received this honor from Pope Francis in 2022.
Doctors of the Church enjoy a special authority in the Church, in certain areas of learning which is set forth in the decree by which the title is conferred. For example: Saint Alphonsus of Liguori is recommended to theologians as master of moral theology, Saint Jerome as biblical scholar, Saint Bonaventure as eminent in scholastic theology, Hildegarde of Bingen in whacky ramblings....Still, their writings are not considered infallible, but they are considered “safe guides”, so that their doctrines are to be preferred unless solid reasons come up that say the opposite.
My biggest concern, as with much of this, personal prejudice or political fervor is making recent Popes name as doctors some people who may or may not rise to that level of theological excellence. Were Catherine of Siena or Terese of Lisieux made Doctors because of their writings or because they were women? Is Hildegarde of Bingen writing about things on a par with Ephram of Syria or are they the ramblings of a German mystic....the key word being German; same as Benedict XVI? Bear in mind those Church Spiritual leaders and writers who are NOT Doctors of the Church....Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, comes to mind immediately.
From 1295 to 1565 we had 5 Doctors of the Church named, It took us about 400 years to add to that number to get to a total of 30....In the past 40 years we have had 7 more named; at this pace we will all be made Doctors of the Church soon.....Just sayin.....
From 1295 to 1565 we had 5 Doctors of the Church named, It took us about 400 years to add to that number to get to a total of 30....In the past 40 years we have had 7 more named; at this pace we will all be made Doctors of the Church soon.....Just sayin.....
The following are the Doctors of the Church:
- · Albertus Magnus
- · Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
- · Ambrose of Milan
- · Anselm of Canterbury
- · Anthony of Padua
- · Athanasius
- · Augustine of Hippo
- · Basil the Great
- · Bede the Venerable
- · Bernard of Clairvaux
- · Bonaventure
- · Catherine of Siena
- · Cyril of Alexandria
- · Cyril of Jerusalem
- · Ephrem of Syria
- · Francis of Sales
- · Gregory Nanzianzen
- · Gregory of Narek
- · Gregory the Great
- · Hilary of Poitiers
- · Hidegard of Bingen
- · Isidore
- Irenaeus of Lyons
- · Jerome
- · John Chrystostom
- · John Damascene
- · John of Avila
- · John of the Cross
- · Lawrence of Brindisi
- · Leo the Great
- · Peter Canisius
- · Peter Chrysologus
- · Peter Damian
- · Robert Bellarmine
- · Teresa of Avila
- · Therese of Lisieux
- · Thomas Aquinas
No comments:
Post a Comment