Faith Comes from What Is Heard: An Introduction to Fundamental Theology

635 Pages·2016·3.1 MB·English

by  Lawrence Feingold

“Dr. Feingold has written a truly excellent introduction to Fundamental
Theology. Since the issues considered in Fundamental Theology are of
such critical importance, having an introduction that is comprehensive,
clearly written, and faithful to the tradition of the Church is of very great
value. Dr. Feingold doesn’t shy away from treating the difficult issues and
does so with balance and sound judgement in a very user-friendly way.
Highly recommended.”
—Ralph Martin,
Director of Graduate Theology Programs in the New Evangelization
Sacred Heart Major Seminary
“Dr. Lawrence Feingold’s Faith Comes from What Is Heard is a
magnificent work. This Fundamental Theology textbook is rooted in the
Catholic Church’s rich theological tradition. Dr. Feingold covers the major
areas of Fundamental Theology, with ample recourse to Sacred Scripture,
to important documents from the Church’s Magisterium, as well as to
classic texts from St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, and numerous
Church Fathers. Dr. Feingold’s writing has that rare clarity and depth that
make this book a true gem. I heartily recommend this book for courses on
Fundamental Theology, or even as a complementary text for courses in
Sacred Scripture or Apologetics. Not only would this be an ideal textbook
for Catholic universities, colleges, and seminaries, but it would also be an
excellent book for readers interested in understanding their Catholic faith
at a deeper level. I will be using this text in my own courses, and I can’t
wait to reread through it with my students. More than that, I will be
recommending this text to friends interested in learning more about the
Catholic faith.”
—Jeffrey L. Morrow,
Assistant Professor of Catholic Theology
Seton Hall University’s Immaculate Conception Seminary School of
Theology
“Dr. Feingold has assembled a wide collection of materials that will help
the student of theology to discover many riches of the Catholic tradition.
The book will especially help programs that aim to train the laity. A useful
tool from a good scholar!”
—Fr. Romanus Cessario, O.P.,
Saint John’s Seminary, Brighton, Massachusetts
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“Teachers and students of Fundamental Theology will welcome Lawrence
Feingold’s Faith Comes from What Is Heard because of its detailed
treatment of revelation and faith, tradition and Scripture. It is moreover
magisterial in its treatment of the Church’s Magisterium on all these
topics, but most especially in its treatment of Scripture, its inspiration and
truth, the historicity and apostolicity of the Gospels, and the issues
surrounding typology. Scripture is here appreciated in its properly
theological character. The volume will therefore also serve as an admirable
introduction to theology as a whole, whose nature it treats by way of an
extended commentary on the first question of the Summa. While the text
nicely distinguishes apologetics and Fundamental Theology, its treatment
both of the credibility of faith and the historicity of the Gospels will, in
fact, strengthen the faith of all who read it. Because of its scope,
Fundamental Theology is hard to organize satisfactorily, but teachers will
recognize here a thoughtful and convincing, logical and theological,
progression of topics.”
—Fr. Guy Mansini,
Professor of Systematic Theology
Saint Meinrad Seminary & School of Theology
“Lawrence Feingold’s Faith Comes from What Is Heard is a brilliant
exposition of the foundations of theology. It is a trustworthy guide for all
who seek a more profound knowledge of truth. It is a modern expression
of the timeless theology of St. Thomas Aquinas that contains many golden
nuggets from the greatest minds of the Church. If you desire to dig deeply
into the Church’s storehouse of treasures, here is your guide to that in-
depth reasoning so essential to good theology.”
—Kenneth J. Howell,
Author, Founder and Director of the Eucharist Project
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FAITH COMES FROM
WHAT IS HEARD
An Introduction to Fundamental Theology
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FAITH COMES FROM
WHAT IS HEARD
An Introduction to Fundamental Theology
LAWRENCE FEINGOLD
Emmaus Academic
Steubenville, Ohio
www.emmausroad.org
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Emmaus Academic
Steubenville, Ohio
www.emmausroad.org
A Division of The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
Editor-in-Chief: Scott Hahn
1468 Parkview Circle
Steubenville, Ohio 43952
© 2016 Lawrence Feingold
All rights reserved. Published 2016
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016937323
ISBN: 978-1-941447-54-3
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from The Revised Standard
Version Second Catholic Edition (Ignatius Edition) Copyright © 1994 by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ
in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
second edition, copyright © 2000, Libreria Editrice Vaticana--United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. Noted as CCC in the text.
Cover design and layout by Margaret Ryland
Cover art by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, Christ Preaching (“La Petite Tombe”)
(c. 1652) National Gallery of Art, Washington.
In accordance with CIC 827, permission to publish has been granted on February
17, 2016 by the Most Reverend Edward Rice, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of St.
Louis. Permission to publish is an indication that nothing contrary to Church
teaching is contained in this work. It does not imply any endorsement of the
opinions expressed in the publication; nor is any liability assumed by this
permission.
Imprimatur: Most Rev. Edward M. Rice,
Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis
February 17, 2016
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To Mary, Mother of the Church,
and to Marsha, my wife, who spent countless hours
editing and improving the text
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“So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the
preaching of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for
‘Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of
the world.’”
(Romans 10:17–18)
“And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart;
and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you
lie down, and when you rise.”
(Deuteronomy 6:6–7)
“Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to
account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and
reverence.”
(1 Peter 3:15)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABBREVIATIONS
INTRODUCTION
PART 1 Revelation and Faith:
God Speaks to Man and Our Response
CHAPTER 1 Revelation and Salvation History
God Speaks to Man
Two Movements of Revelation
The Principal Content of the Gospel Is the Incarnation and Our Nuptial
Union with the Incarnate Word
The Communication of Revelation: Mediation
The Communication of Revelation: Prophecy
Revelation through the Holy Spirit
CHAPTER 2 The Virtue of Divine Faith
Human Faith
Supernatural Faith
Faith Is Light
Private Judgment and the “Dogmatic Principle”
Dispositions for Faith
CHAPTER 3 Motives of Credibility for Faith
Motives of Credibility
The Reasons of the Heart for Faith: Love Disposes to Faith
St. Thomas Aquinas on the Motives of Credibility
On the Possibility of Miracles
PART 2 Theology: Faith Seeking Understanding
CHAPTER 4 Should Theology Exist? Two Orders of Knowledge about God
Sacred Theology
Should Theology Exist? Rationalist and Agnostic Objections
Why Is It Fitting That God Reveal Himself to Man?
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Reply to the Rationalist and Agnostic Objections
Natural and Supernatural Knowledge of God
CHAPTER 5 The Science of Theology
The Scientific Character of Theology
Theology as the Science of God
The Unity of Theology
Is Sacred Theology a Practical or a Theoretical Science?
Is Theology the Most Noble of the Sciences?
Is Theology Wisdom?
Theology and Prayer
CHAPTER 6 Theological Method
Arguments Based on Authority: Positive Theology
Systematic Theology and Theological Reasoning
Architectonic Goal of Systematic Theology
The Ecclesial Character of Theology
The Harmony of Faith and Reason
PART 3 Transmission of Revelation through Tradition and the
Magisterium
CHAPTER 7 Apostolic Tradition and the “Oral Torah”
Sacred Tradition
The Function of Tradition
Tradition and Traditions
Witnesses of Tradition
Vatican II on Tradition, Scripture, and the Magisterium
Development of Tradition
Tradition in Israel: The Oral Torah
Apostolic Tradition and the Oral Torah
Benedict XVI on Tradition
CHAPTER 8 Apostolic Succession: Hierarchical Nature of the Transmission
of Revelation
Christ Built His Church on the Apostles
The Hierarchical Principle
Apostolic Succession
The Relation of the Apostles to Peter
The Primacy of Peter Serves the Word of God
Patristic Witness to Apostolic Succession and the Primacy of Peter
CHAPTER 9 The Magisterium of the Church, the Charism of Infallibility,
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