lation as its presupposition or its consequence, etc.); [3] the distinctions to be made between the types of authority claimed by the teacher and his intention of binding his hearers; [4] the distinctions to be made between the "theological qualifications" of the truths proposed (dogma, common teaching, irreformable truths, reformable truths which still demand a conditional assent, etc.); [5] the distinctions to be made in the assent of the hearer (from the absolute assent of faith to a genuine but not necessarily irreformable inner assent and on to mere "obedient silence").6

For my purpose here, I will pare down and summarize the different levels of magisterial authority to be attributed to dogmas and doctrines as follows (VII, 14-15, adapted):

1. De fide: dogmas of the faith. These are divinely revealed truths contained in the Word of God, written or handed down, either (a) formally defined by a pope or Council or (b) taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. They constitute basic beliefs that must be held by Catholics, and they are called the primary objects of infallibility.

2. Fides ecclesiastica: doctrines that are infallibly taught as inseparably connected with revelation, called secondary objects of infallibility. These truths are necessarily connected with revelation by virtue of either an historical relationship or a logical connection expressing a stage in the development of the understanding of revelation. These truths are (a) formally defined by a pope or council or (b) taught infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium of the Church as a sententia definitive tenenda. This is why these are called the "faith of the Church."

3. Sententia fidei proxima: doctrine authoritatively but non-infallibly taught by the Magisterium. This is for a doctrine that is not formally promulgated but is regarded as teaching a truth of revelation. It is proximate to the faith.

6 Karl Rahner, "Dogmatic Constitution on the Church: Chapter III, Articles 18-27," in Commentary on the Documents of Vatican II, ed. Herbert Vorgrimler, trans. Lalit Adophus et al., 5 vols. (London / New York: Burns & Oates / Herder & Herder, 1967-1969), 1:208-16, at 209, quoted in D'Costa, VII, 13-14.

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D'Costa's Hermeneutics

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