
The deposit of faith is a concept in Catholicism that refers to the body of revealed truth in the scriptures and sacred traditions proposed by the Roman Catholic Church for the belief of the faithful. It is the idea that the teachings of Christ and the Apostles have been handed down and interpreted by the Church, through the Pope and bishops, to form a single sacred deposit of the word of God. This deposit is believed to be unchangeable and is to be guarded, preserved, protected, and interpreted by the Church.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Definition | The body of revealed truth in the scriptures and sacred tradition proposed by the Roman Catholic Church for the belief of the faithful |
Latin Translation | depositum fidei or fidei depositum |
Other Names | Sacred deposit, Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture |
Reference in Bible | St. Paul uses the Greek word paratheke ("deposit") in 1 Timothy 6:20 and 2 Timothy 1:14 |
Interpretation | Interpreted and transmitted through the magisterium, the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, which is entrusted to the pope and to the bishops in communion with him |
Revelation | Divine revelation ended with the death of the last apostle, John. The development of doctrine does not add to this revelation but increases the understanding of it |
Scope | Includes both Oral Tradition and Scripture, which "come from the same divine wellspring" |
Applicability | The deposit of faith is applicable in the U.S. Episcopal Church as well, with a similar meaning |
What You'll Learn
- The deposit of faith is the body of revealed truth in scriptures and tradition
- The Roman Catholic Church interprets and transmits this through the magisterium
- The deposit of faith is also referred to by the Episcopal Church in the USA
- The deposit of faith is distinct from the Protestant principle of sola scriptura
- The deposit of faith is also referred to as the sacred deposit
The deposit of faith is the body of revealed truth in scriptures and tradition
The deposit of faith is a concept in Catholicism, referring to the body of revealed truth in scriptures and traditions proposed by the Roman Catholic Church for the belief of the faithful. The term is derived from the Latin "depositum fidei" or "fidei depositum", meaning the teachings of the Catholic Church handed down since the time of the Apostles.
The deposit of faith is composed of Sacred Scripture (the Bible) and Sacred Tradition (the Church). These two elements are considered equally important and authoritative by the Catholic Church, as they are both believed to be derived from God's revelation. This belief is summarised in the Catechism: "Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the word of God". This means that both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honoured with equal reverence by Catholics.
The interpretation and transmission of the deposit of faith are entrusted to the Magisterium, the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, led by the Pope and the bishops in communion with him. The deposit of faith is believed to be an inexhaustible treasure, which can be continually reflected on and studied, revealing new insights and deeper understandings of God's plan for salvation.
The deposit of faith is considered a sacred responsibility entrusted to the Catholic Church by God, to be preserved, protected, and interpreted for the faithful. This belief is supported by quotes from St. Paul in the Bible, urging Timothy to "guard what has been entrusted to you" (1 Timothy 6:20) and to "guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us" (2 Timothy 1:14).
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The Roman Catholic Church interprets and transmits this through the magisterium
The deposit of faith is the body of revealed truth in the scriptures and sacred tradition proposed by the Roman Catholic Church for the belief of the faithful. The phrase has a similar use in the U.S. Episcopal Church for their own belief. The deposit of faith is interpreted and transmitted through the magisterium, the Catholic Church's teaching authority, which is entrusted to the Pope and the bishops in communion with him.
The "sacred deposit" of the faith (depositum fidei) refers to the teachings of the Catholic Church that are believed to have been handed down since the time of the Apostles, namely scripture and sacred tradition. The deposit of faith is interpreted and transmitted through the magisterium, which is the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. This authority is entrusted to the Pope and the bishops in communion with him.
The magisterium is derived from the Latin word "magister," meaning "teacher." It is the authority of the Pope and bishops to teach the faith and interpret the Scriptures and sacred tradition. The magisterium is responsible for defining the truth of Christ's teachings and guiding the Church in its interpretation of the Word and in its liturgy. The magisterium is also responsible for preserving, protecting, and interpreting the deposit of faith, as it cannot change.
The Catholic Church believes that Christ established an authoritative Church through the magisterium, and that this authority has been handed down through the ages, from the Apostles to the present day. The Apostles were entrusted with the sacred deposit of the faith, and they passed it on to the whole of the Church. The Church's understanding of this teaching can develop, but it cannot be augmented in substance. The deposit of faith includes both Sacred Scripture (the Bible) and Sacred Tradition (the Church), which are considered equally authoritative by the Catholic Church.
In summary, the Roman Catholic Church interprets and transmits the deposit of faith through the magisterium, its teaching authority, which is exercised by the Pope and the bishops in union with him. The magisterium is responsible for preserving, protecting, and interpreting the deposit of faith, ensuring that the teachings of the Catholic Church remain faithful to the original revelations of Christ and the Apostles.
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The deposit of faith is also referred to by the Episcopal Church in the USA
The Episcopal Church in the USA, also officially the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America (PECUSA), is a member church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is divided into nine provinces. The Episcopal Church describes itself as "Protestant, yet Catholic" and asserts apostolic succession, tracing its bishops back to the apostles via holy orders.
The "deposit of faith" is a concept that refers to the body of revealed truth in the scriptures and sacred tradition proposed by the Roman Catholic Church for the belief of the faithful. The phrase is also used in the Episcopal Church in the USA to refer to the saving revelation of Christ that has been given to the church, especially as known through biblical witness and tradition. This requires fidelity to the received tradition, willingness to continually rediscover the truth of the Christian faith in each time and situation of the Church's life, and evangelical zeal to share the faith with others.
The deposit of faith is interpreted and transmitted through the magisterium, the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, which is entrusted to the pope and to the bishops in communion with him. On the other hand, the Episcopal Church in the USA is governed according to episcopal polity with its own system of canon law. This means that the church is organized into dioceses led by bishops in consultation with representative bodies. It has a highly decentralized structure and characteristics of a confederation.
The deposit of faith is an important concept in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church in the USA, but it is interpreted and applied differently in each tradition. While the Catholic Church interprets the deposit of faith through the lens of papal authority and magisterial teaching, the Episcopal Church understands it within the context of its own episcopal polity and canon law.
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The deposit of faith is distinct from the Protestant principle of sola scriptura
The deposit of faith is a body of revealed truth in the scriptures and sacred tradition proposed by the Roman Catholic Church for the belief of the faithful. The phrase is also used similarly in the U.S. Episcopal Church. The deposit of faith refers to the teachings of the Catholic Church that are believed to have been handed down since the time of the Apostles. It is interpreted and transmitted through the magisterium, the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, which is entrusted to the pope and the bishops in communion with him.
While the scriptures' meaning is mediated through subordinate authorities, such as the ordinary teaching offices of a church, the ecumenical creeds, and councils of the Catholic Church, sola scriptura rejects any infallible authority other than the Bible. In this view, all non-scriptural authority is derived from the authority of the scriptures and is therefore subject to reform when compared to the teaching of the Bible. Sola scriptura is a formal principle of many Protestant Christian denominations and was a foundational doctrinal principle of the Protestant Reformation.
In contrast, the Catholic Church officially regards tradition and scripture as equal, forming a single deposit, and considers the magisterium as the living organ that interprets this deposit. The deposit of faith, therefore, includes both sacred scripture and sacred tradition, which are interpreted and transmitted through the magisterium.
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The deposit of faith is also referred to as the sacred deposit
According to Dei Verbum, "Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church [...] both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a certain way merge into a unity and tend toward the same end." The deposit of faith is interpreted and transmitted through the magisterium, the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, which is entrusted to the pope and the bishops in communion with him.
The deposit of faith is believed to be guarded by the Catholic Church, which fulfils this mission in every age. This is reflected in the words of St. Paul, who uses the Greek word "paratheke" ("deposit") in 1 Timothy 6:20: "O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you". This is further reinforced in 2 Timothy 1:14, where he urges, "Guard this rich trust with the help of the holy Spirit that dwells within us" (NAB).
According to Catholic theology, divine revelation ended with the death of the last apostle, John. While the development of doctrine does not add to this revelation, it increases the understanding of it over time. This evolution of understanding is reflected in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which acknowledges that "even if the Revelation is already complete, it has not been made fully explicit".
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church defines the "Deposit of Faith" as the teachings handed down since the time of the Apostles through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. These two together are known as the "Deposit of Faith" (depositum fidei).
The Deposit of Faith is the body of saving truth entrusted by Christ to the Apostles and handed on by them to be preserved and proclaimed. It is suggested that the metaphor of a "deposit" implies that this teaching is an inexhaustible treasure that can be studied and reflected upon to gain new insights and deeper penetration into the mystery of the divine economy of salvation (God's plan for saving mankind).
The Deposit of Faith is interpreted through the Magisterium, the Church's teaching authority, which is entrusted to the Pope and the bishops in communion with him.
The Catholic Church believes it is their mission, entrusted by the Lord, to guard, preserve, protect, and interpret the Deposit of Faith. This belief is supported by Pope John Paul II's statement in the introduction of the Catechism: "Guarding the deposit of faith is the mission which the Lord entrusted to His Church, and she fulfills in every age."
Catholics are required to believe in all the teachings of the Catholic Church without exception. This is because they believe that Christ established an authoritative Church, through the Magisterium or teaching authority, that has the ability to define the truth of Christ's teachings.