Welcome to this exploration of key teachings found in the Catechism of the Council of Trent, a foundational text for Catholic doctrine historically used to instruct parish priests. In this blog, we’ll examine various aspects of the Catechism, focusing on topics like the role of good works, the significance of sacraments, and the nature of worship. Through selected quotes and analysis, we’ll consider how these teachings align with or diverge from biblical principles, especially as they relate to practices that emphasize the worship of created things—a concept addressed in Scripture as “worshipping the creature more than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). We’ll also touch on the notion of animism, or the reverence for natural objects and forces, which raises questions about the boundaries between reverence and worship.
By looking closely at the Catechism’s stance on these practices, we can reflect on how certain traditions and rituals evolved and consider their place in Christian life today. I invite you to join in this thought-provoking journey as we delve into how the Catechism shaped Catholic teaching and what it means for contemporary faith and worship.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent teaches that the good works or merits of one believer can benefit others within the Church. According to this view, acts of charity and piety done by one person may contribute to the spiritual welfare of the entire community, reflecting a shared communion of good works among believers.
The idea that the good works or merits of one believer can benefit others doesn’t align with Scripture’s emphasis on individual accountability before God. 2 Corinthians 5:10 states,
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
This highlights that each person is responsible for their own actions and will be judged individually.
Ezekiel 18:20 reinforces this, stating,
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
This underscores that each person bears their own righteousness or sin, and it cannot be transferred.
This verse emphasizes individual responsibility before God, teaching that no one can transfer their righteousness (or merit) to another person. Each individual stands alone in their own relationship with God, accountable for their own actions.
This teaching in Ezekiel fundamentally challenges the Catholic doctrines surrounding purgatory, the Mass as a means of obtaining grace for others, and the concept of the treasury of merit. The Catholic Church teaches that the souls in purgatory can be helped by prayers, offerings, and Masses said on their behalf, suggesting that merits can be “applied” to others to reduce their suffering or speed their purification process. However, Ezekiel 18:20 directly opposes this idea, indicating that one person’s righteousness cannot be credited to another, nor can a person’s wickedness be offset by the righteousness of someone else.
Similarly, the treasury of merit—a Catholic doctrine proposing a “storehouse” of surplus merit accumulated by Christ, Mary, and the saints that can be drawn upon for others—contradicts this teaching. According to Ezekiel, each soul is accountable for its own standing before God, with righteousness and forgiveness dependent on an individual’s personal faith and repentance. The idea that someone else’s merit or righteousness can be applied to a soul in purgatory or transferred to others through Masses or indulgences conflicts with the biblical principle that each person bears their own spiritual responsibility.
Ezekiel 18:20 reinforces that salvation, grace, and righteousness are deeply personal, nullifying the concept that merit can be transferred from one soul to another. It points to the sufficiency of each individual’s direct relationship with God and highlights that salvation and purification are matters between each person and God alone, not mediated by the merits of others.
Similarly, Romans 14:12 says,
“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
Paul emphasizes that each individual will personally answer to God for their own life, underscoring the personal nature of our accountability.
Philippians 2:12 also states,
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,”
showing that faith is personal and our relationship with God is direct.
Galatians 6:5 reinforces this by saying,
“For every man shall bear his own burden.”
While we support one another, each person is ultimately responsible for their own spiritual journey and relationship with God.
While believers are united as the body of Christ and called to love and support one another, the Bible teaches that salvation and sanctification are deeply personal. The responsibility for each person’s relationship with God rests on the individual, with judgment based on one’s own actions and faith.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent also writes:
"In fine, every true Christian possesses nothing which he should not consider common to all others with himself, and should therefore be prepared promptly to relieve an indigent fellow-creature. For he that is blessed with worldly goods, and sees his brother in want, and will not assist him, is plainly convicted of not having the love of God within him."
Yet, the Catholic Church itself, despite teaching these values, is one of the wealthiest organizations in the world, with an estimated wealth portfolio valued between $10 billion and $15 billion globally, including vast property holdings, priceless art, and significant financial investments.
In Italy alone, where the Catholic Church holds substantial wealth, issues like unemployment, poverty, and homelessness persist. According to recent estimates, Italy has an unemployment rate hovering around 9%, with youth unemployment often exceeding 25%. Nearly 5 million people in Italy live in poverty, and thousands are homeless, particularly in larger cities like Rome, right at the Vatican’s doorstep.
While the Church engages in charitable work, the sheer scale of its wealth contrasts sharply with the poverty around it. This discrepancy raises questions: If every Christian should see their possessions as available to help others, as the Catechism suggests, shouldn’t the Church set the example by using more of its vast wealth to directly address the suffering around it? Instead of keeping treasures and wealth largely untapped, a greater focus on alleviating poverty and homelessness would align more closely with its teachings on compassion and generosity.
This contrast between doctrine and practice creates a perception of hypocrisy that challenges the Church’s moral authority. If the Catholic Church were to act in full accordance with this teaching, redistributing its immense resources could make a transformative impact on issues like poverty and homelessness, especially in its own country.
The Catechism of The Council of Trent also states in:
Analogies From Nature
"But although the resurrection is most certainly established by faith, it will, notwithstanding, be of material advantage to show from analogy and reason that what faith proposes is not at variance with nature or human reason. To one asking how the dead should rise again, the Apostle answers: Foolish man! that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die first; and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but bare grain, 90 as of wheat, or of some of the rest; but God giveth it a body as he will; and a little after, It is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption. St. Gregory calls our attention to many other arguments of analogy tending to the same effect. The sun, he says, is every day withdrawn from our eyes, as it were, by dying, and is again recalled, as it were, by rising again; trees lose, and again, as it were, by a resurrection, resume their verdure; seeds die by putrefaction, and rise again by germination."
The Catechism of the Council of Trent often uses natural analogies, particularly in its teachings on resurrection and renewal, to help believers relate to these concepts. By referencing cycles like the daily rise and set of the sun, the rebirth of plants, and the germination of seeds, the Catechism draws connections between natural processes and spiritual renewal. However, frequent references to nature, especially the cycles of the sun, can closely resemble imagery from ancient pagan sun worship.
Many pagan religions used natural cycles as central symbols, especially the movement of the sun and the rebirth of vegetation with the seasons. Deities such as Baal, Mithras, and Sol Invictus were venerated as sun gods and seen as life-giving figures who “died” and “returned” with the seasons or days, mirroring nature’s rhythms. The winter solstice, when the sun’s “return” was celebrated, marked renewal in various ancient cultures. By likening Christ’s resurrection to these natural cycles, as the Catechism does by referring to the “reanimation of nature,” it risks echoing sun-worship traditions, which similarly focused on cycles of life, death, and rebirth.
The Bible, however, treats the resurrection as a unique, miraculous event, not as part of an ongoing natural pattern. 1 Corinthians 15:14 underscores that faith is based on Christ’s resurrection as a one-time divine act:
“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”
This teaching sets resurrection apart from earthly cycles, presenting it as a supernatural victory over death.
Throughout the Bible, natural analogies, especially those involving celestial bodies, are not used to illustrate resurrection. Instead, God warns against worshipping these elements, as in Deuteronomy 4:19
“And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars… shouldest be driven to worship them.”
This caution against focusing worship on the sun—a key symbol in paganism—is intended to keep believers from blending biblical truth with imagery linked to pagan deities like Baal and Sol Invictus.
Distinguishing resurrection from cycles of nature upholds its unique, divine nature as rooted in Christ’s one-time victory over death. Relying on these natural analogies may risk conflating biblical teachings with sun-centered pagan traditions, whose practices and symbols were often adversarial to God’s commands.
Many pagan religions focused on natural cycles, especially the sun’s movement, as central symbols, worshipping deities like Baal, Mithras, and Sol Invictus, who were associated with life-giving forces that "died" and "returned" with the seasons. Baal, as an ancient sun god, directly opposed God—“satan” in Hebrew means "adversary." The Bible warns that Satan, the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), manipulates worldly things to turn focus away from God.
By aligning spiritual renewal with natural processes, the Catechism risks reinforcing the pagan practice of honoring creation rather than the Creator. Romans 1:25 states,
“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.”
This verse warns against worshipping natural phenomena rather than God Himself, stressing that He alone should be the focus of devotion.
Scripture consistently discourages focusing on earthly or natural elements as expressions of spiritual truths. Jesus reminds us in John 18:36
“My kingdom is not of this world,”
reinforcing that spiritual matters transcend worldly symbols. By using natural imagery associated with sun deities like Baal, the Catechism risks merging biblical teachings with symbols tied to God’s adversary, ultimately focusing on the creation rather than the Creator.
The Catechism also states:
"The next quality is brightness, by which the bodies of the Saints shall shine like the sun, according to the words of our Lord recorded in the Gospel of St. Matthew: The just shall shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. To remove the possibility of doubt on the subject, He exemplifies this in His Transfiguration. This quality the Apostle sometimes calls glory, sometimes brightness: He will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory; " and again, It is sown in dishonour, it shall rise in glory. Of this glory the Israelites beheld some image in the desert, when the face of Moses, after he had enjoyed the presence and conversation of God, shone with such lustre that they could not look on it."
This passage from the Catechism of the Council of Trent uses sun imagery to describe the glorified bodies of saints, drawing from Matthew 13:43
"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father."
By suggesting that saints will shine like the sun in their glorified state and linking this to Christ’s Transfiguration, the Catechism risks associating Christ’s divine glory with solar imagery. However, Christ is not the sun; He is the Creator of the sun and all heavenly bodies. John 1:3 states,
“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
This verse clarifies that Christ, as Creator, is separate from His creation, including the sun.
Ancient sun worship often focused on the sun’s radiance as a symbol of divinity. Pagan deities like Sol Invictus and Mithras were venerated for their connection to light and the life-giving properties of the sun. The idea of glorified saints “shining like the sun” can echo such solar imagery, which risks overlapping with concepts found in sun worship. The Bible, however, makes it clear that while believers will reflect God’s glory, they are not sources of divine light themselves but reflect the light of God, the true source.
Furthermore, Scripture warns against equating God’s glory with any celestial body.
Romans 1:25
“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.”
By associating the glorified bodies of saints with the sun’s radiance, the Catechism blurs the distinction between Creator and creation, subtly resembling ancient solar deification.
The Catechism also states:
An Illustration Of This Truth
"These are truths, so divine that they cannot be expressed in any words or comprehended by us in thought. We may, however, trace some resemblance of this happiness in sensible objects. Thus, iron when acted on by fire becomes inflamed and while it is substantially the same seems changed into fire, a different substance; so likewise the blessed, who are admitted into the glory of heaven and burn with a love of God, are so affected that, without ceasing to be what they are, they may be said with truth to differ more from those still on earth than red-hot iron differs from itself when cold. 98 To say all in a few words, supreme and absolute happiness, which we call essential, consists in the possession of God; for what can he lack to consummate his happiness who possesses the God of all goodness and perfection?"
This passage uses the analogy of iron becoming red-hot in a fire to illustrate the transformation of the blessed in heaven. While they retain their essence, the imagery likens them to something so deeply "inflamed" by divine love that they are almost transformed.
Though this analogy is meant to convey the spiritual union with God, it can unintentionally resemble themes from sun worship, especially when the imagery of burning or glowing is involved. In ancient sun-worshiping religions, the sun and fire were often viewed as purifying, life-giving forces. In many pagan beliefs, the sun’s radiance symbolized divine energy that could transform or “fill” individuals, similar to how the iron in this analogy absorbs heat. The imagery here—of the blessed burning with love and transformed like iron in fire—may seem similar to these beliefs, where divine energy flows from the sun, transforming or purifying all it touches.
Furthermore, sun worship venerated the sun as a source of ultimate fulfillment and completeness. When the Catechism describes absolute happiness as "possession of God," it might echo the pagan ideal of divine fulfillment through closeness to a radiant or fiery deity. In this analogy, though likely unintended, drawing parallels between spiritual transformation and burning can appear to overlap with sun symbolism, in which deities like Sol Invictus were seen as embodiments of divine warmth and light that fulfilled all needs.
The Bible warns against aligning God’s divine essence with natural symbols or celestial bodies. Romans 1:25 says,
“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.”
Using the image of burning iron to describe closeness to God could risk blending biblical teaching with naturalistic or sun-worship ideas, where divine transformation is likened to a physical process rather than a purely spiritual one.
The Catechism also states:
"But by the Latin Fathers who have written on theological subjects, the word sacrament is used to signify a sacred thing which lies concealed. The Greeks, to express the same idea, made use of the word mystery. This we understand to be the meaning of the word, when, in the Epistle to the Ephesians, it is said: That he might make known to us the mystery (sacramentum) of his will; and to Timothy: great is the mystery (sacramentum) of godliness; and in the Book of Wisdom: They knew not the secrets (sacramenta) of God. In these and many other passages the word sacrament,- it will be perceived, signifies nothing more than a holy thing that lies concealed and hidden."
This passage describes sacraments as "holy things that lie concealed and hidden," connecting them to mysteries and symbols. While the intention is to highlight the sacred nature of sacraments, this perspective can appear inconsistent with biblical teachings and align with elements found in pagan traditions, which often emphasized hidden knowledge or mystical truths accessible through secret rites and symbols.
In Scripture, the Gospel is presented as open and accessible to all.
Colossians 1:26-27 says,
"Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Here, Paul explains that the mysteries of God are fully revealed through Christ and accessible to all who believe. Unlike sacraments described as “hidden” and “concealed,” the New Testament emphasizes that salvation and God’s truth are openly revealed.
The concept of sacraments as physical signs that “communicate grace” also aligns more closely with ancient pagan traditions that used objects or symbols to channel divine power. Pagan religions, like the Eleusinian mysteries or the cult of Mithras, involved rituals and symbols intended to impart spiritual benefits. However, the Bible emphasizes that grace is a direct gift from God received through faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 states,
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
In Scripture, grace is not mediated through physical symbols but is a result of faith alone in Jesus Christ.
This emphasis on sacraments as "hidden signs" may also raise concerns of idolatry. Romans 1:23 warns against replacing God’s invisible nature with physical representations: “And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”
By associating divine grace with material symbols, the sacramental view can encourage reliance on objects rather than a direct relationship with God. This reliance risks elevating physical symbols in a way that parallels ancient practices, where spiritual power was seen as something channeled through material forms.
Additionally, the Catechism implies that the Old Testament’s symbols were replaced by new sacramental signs in the “Gospel Law.” However, Scripture shows that Christ fulfilled the Old Law, bringing an end to symbolic rituals as a means to receive God’s favor.
Hebrews 10:10 states,
“We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all,”
showing that Christ’s sacrifice was final and complete, with no further need for symbolic acts as a means of receiving grace.
Furthermore, the term occult itself comes from the Latin occultus, meaning “hidden” or “concealed.” The emphasis on hidden or mystical truths in sacraments can resemble occult principles, where power is believed to lie in secret or veiled knowledge. This reliance on hidden elements in worship diverges from the biblical call to transparency in faith and the clear revelation of the Gospel.
By describing sacraments as concealed or hidden signs that impart grace, the Catechism introduces concepts similar to those found in paganism and occult practices, where secret rites and symbols conveyed divine power. In contrast, Scripture presents the Gospel as fully revealed in Christ, accessible through faith, and not reliant on physical symbols or hidden knowledge.symbols conveyed divine power. In contrast, Scripture presents the Gospel as fully revealed in Christ, accessible through faith, and not reliant on physical symbols or hidden knowledge.
The Catechism also states:
"A Sacrament, therefore, is clearly to be numbered among those things which have been instituted as signs. It makes known to us by a certain appearance and resemblance that which God, by His invisible power, accomplishes in our souls. Let us illustrate what we have said by an example. Baptism, for instance, which is administered by external ablution, accompanied with certain solemn words, signifies that by the power of the Holy Ghost all stain and defilement of sin is inwardly washed away, and that the soul is enriched and adorned with the admirable gift of heavenly justification; while, at the same time, the bodily washing, as we shall hereafter explain in its proper place, accomplishes in the soul that which it signifies."
Scripture emphasizes that salvation and cleansing from sin come through faith in Christ, not through outward acts. Ephesians 2:8-9 states,
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
This verse emphasizes that grace and salvation are gifts from God, accessible through faith, not dependent on rituals or physical acts. Baptism is indeed an outward sign of an inward commitment, but it is symbolic rather than a literal means by which sins are washed away or justification is conferred.
Historically, baptism was practiced as a public declaration of faith rather than as a means of imparting grace. In the early Christian church, baptism symbolized the believer’s union with Christ’s death and resurrection, representing repentance and rebirth in a new life of faith. Romans 6:3-4 supports this understanding, saying,
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
Here, Paul presents baptism as a sign of identification with Christ’s death and resurrection rather than as a ritual that directly cleanses sin or confers justification.
Colossians 2:11-12 also highlights that spiritual transformation is a divine work achieved “without hands.” Paul writes,
“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”
This passage indicates that the true work of salvation and transformation is done by God, not through human rituals or physical acts. Baptism is described as an outward sign of the believer’s unity with Christ, accomplished through faith in God’s power rather than through the ritual itself.
The concept that baptism itself "accomplishes in the soul that which it signifies" by conferring justification or salvation is also inconsistent with 1 Peter 3:21, which clarifies the purpose of baptism:
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God).”
Peter explains that baptism is not a literal washing of sin but rather an outward symbol of the believer’s conscience and faith. This interpretation challenges the Catholic teaching that the act of baptism itself is what imparts grace or justification.
The Bible further warns against relying on physical acts or rituals for justification.
Galatians 3:11 states,
“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”
Paul’s words show that justification cannot be achieved through ceremonial or ritual acts, including baptism or any other outward signs.
Similarly,
Jeremiah 17:5 cautions against trusting in human or physical means, saying,
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.”
This verse emphasizes that true faith is a matter of the heart, not dependent on rituals or human actions, reinforcing that justification is a direct relationship with God, not mediated through symbolic acts.
In examining the teachings from the Catechism of the Council of Trent on good works, the sacraments, shared merits, and the visible wealth of the Catholic Church in contrast to widespread poverty, we are reminded of core biblical truths that emphasize simplicity, faith, and humility. Scripture warns against placing trust in outward rituals, hidden knowledge, or worldly wealth, urging us instead to a genuine, unmediated relationship with God.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 powerfully states,
“Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me.”
True faith calls us to reject dependence on material wealth or hidden doctrines and to center our lives on knowing and loving God. In returning to this straightforward, Scripture-centered faith, we honor God fully, focusing on love, humility, and service to others.
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