[jo kus]

Tertullian is a perfect example of someone who used to be orthodox and then later on in life left the Church through heresy because he placed his personal beliefs and interpretations above the concensus patrum, which is another way of saying that he thought himself smarter than the rest of the bishops.

I think this is an excellent example of how God works in His Church. First, Tertullian was without doubt the brightest mind in the Latin Church during his era. IF the Church's beliefs were based on "brainpower" of man, then Tertullian certainly could have successfully argued his own personal beliefs that differed from the Church's. HOWEVER, the Church is led by the Spirit. So when a Father writes something that CAN be taken out of context and read differently then the Church's orthodox beliefs, the Church, duly appointed by Christ, judges on the issue on the side of its handed-down Tradition.

Thus, St. Augustine and St. John Cassian have written what SOME people would consider out of order of the consensus patrum - and have been misinterpreted. The Church was not fooled. Despite Augustine's incredible influence, the Church did not fall for his version of mass damnatia. Even his follower, St. Prosper of Aquitaine, did not teach it, realizing that Augustine was writing polemically vs. the Pelagians. Later readers of John Cassian also need to understand the Saint's point of view - being he was a monk - and not trying to work out a precise theological relationship, but rather, was concerned with practical application. Thus, we shouldn't consider him a heretical Semi-Pelagian. In either case, the Church did not change their opinions based on the popularity of these giants' opinions.

I consider that the above examples are further proof of God working within His Church.

Regards

[kosta50]

I think this is an excellent example of how God works in His Church. First, Tertullian was without doubt the brightest mind in the Latin Church during his era. IF the Church's beliefs were based on "brainpower" of man, then Tertullian certainly could have successfully argued his own personal beliefs that differed from the Church's...The Church was not fooled.

It is an amazing and repetitive occurrence one sees as the Church is immune to fall albeit not to heresy. Heresy reached as high as the second highest see of the Church. There was more than one heretical Bishop of Constantinople, and each and every time the orthodox bishops from the east sought refuse with the Bishop of Rome who, for all you know, could have been a less than exemplary person but whose office maintained steadfast orthodoxy.

+John Chrysostom and +Maximus the Confessor come to mind as people who sought support among orthodox popes, and the one Confessor knew was the one who was actually, post-mortem, excommunicated for allowing but not agreeing with the heresy of the Bishop of Constantinople! So, something protects the Church. And it ain't any fallible or brainy men.