***Now, on the one hand we have the perfectly good idea that men, or even bodies of men, will and do grow in faith. They are sanctified. On the other hand, we have “always and everywhere believed”. How do you reconcile these?***
Well, look at the theology of the Trinity. It was not rigidly defined for centuries until it was required in response to growing heresies. The inclusion of the Deuterocanonicals (or indeed the entire content of the OT) was not required until the heresy of the Reformation.
The growing of the faith was simply that - a growing. Not the innovations of the last five hundred years.
Well, look at the theology of the Trinity. It was not rigidly defined for centuries until it was required in response to growing heresies. The inclusion of the Deuterocanonicals (or indeed the entire content of the OT) was not required until the heresy of the Reformation.
It sounds like we heretics are to some strange extent determining whether or not you define your theology, what books are included in your official canon, and whether or not you grow in your faith. Now granted, we organized because of your "heresy", but since then I don't know of many of our beliefs that are reactions to the Vatican. :)