Contra Errores Graecorum
Encyclopedia
Contra errores Graecorum, ad Urbanum IV Pontificem Maximum (Against the Errors of the Greeks, to Pope Urban IV
) is a short treatise (an "opusculum") written in 1263 by Roman Catholic theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas
as a contribution to Pope Urban's efforts at reunion with the Eastern Church
. Its 72 chapters are each of the length of a paragraph in a modern book. In it Aquinas presents the teaching of the Greek Church Fathers as in harmony with that of the Latin Church
. The book is arranged in two parts, the first of 32 chapters and the second of 40, each part preceded by a prologue, and the work as a whole concluded with an epilogue. All the first part and 31 of the 40 chapters of the second concern pneumatology (doctrine on the Holy Spirit
). Of the final 9 chapters, 7 deal with the position of the Roman Pontiff
, and the last two with the use of leavened bread in the Eucharist
and with purgatory
. In all of these Aquinas quoted expressions by Fathers of the Greek Church in support of the teaching propounded by the Latin Church.
The title of the treatise was not given by Aquinas himself, and it contains nothing that is directed against the doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church
, but only, in the view of theologian Yves Congar
, a defence of Catholic doctrine against Eastern misunderstandings.
Aquinas died on his way to participate in the 1274 Second Council of Lyons, to which he had been invited, but this treatise, which he had written eleven years before and not for the use of this Council, was influential at the Council.
A complete English translation is given at the websites of The Dominican Institute, Ibadan and the Dominican Province of St Joseph.
A different English translation, but only of the first ten chapters, is found at the website of Ecclesia Triumphans Catholic Apologetics
In his treatise, Aquinas "demonstrated that there was a theological harmony between the Greek Church Fathers and the Latin Church". He pointed out that one source of misunderstandings between Greeks and Latins was the difficulty of finding appropriate words in each language` with which to translate technical theological terms used in the other:
Pope Urban IV
Pope Urban IV , born Jacques Pantaléon, was Pope, from 1261 to 1264. He was not a cardinal, and there have been several Popes since him who have not been Cardinals, including Urban V and Urban VI.-Biography:...
) is a short treatise (an "opusculum") written in 1263 by Roman Catholic theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
as a contribution to Pope Urban's efforts at reunion with the Eastern Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
. Its 72 chapters are each of the length of a paragraph in a modern book. In it Aquinas presents the teaching of the Greek Church Fathers as in harmony with that of the Latin Church
Latin Church
The Latin Church is the largest particular church within the Catholic Church. It is a particular church not on the level of the local particular churches known as dioceses or eparchies, but on the level of autonomous ritual churches, of which there are 23, the remaining 22 of which are Eastern...
. The book is arranged in two parts, the first of 32 chapters and the second of 40, each part preceded by a prologue, and the work as a whole concluded with an epilogue. All the first part and 31 of the 40 chapters of the second concern pneumatology (doctrine on the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
). Of the final 9 chapters, 7 deal with the position of the Roman Pontiff
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, and the last two with the use of leavened bread in the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
and with purgatory
Purgatory
Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven...
. In all of these Aquinas quoted expressions by Fathers of the Greek Church in support of the teaching propounded by the Latin Church.
The title of the treatise was not given by Aquinas himself, and it contains nothing that is directed against the doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, but only, in the view of theologian Yves Congar
Yves Congar
Yves Marie Joseph Congar was a French Dominican cardinal and theologian.-Early life:Born in Sedan, in northeast France, in 1904, Congar's home was occupied by the Germans for much of World War I...
, a defence of Catholic doctrine against Eastern misunderstandings.
Aquinas died on his way to participate in the 1274 Second Council of Lyons, to which he had been invited, but this treatise, which he had written eleven years before and not for the use of this Council, was influential at the Council.
Text
The 1968 Leonine edition is available in Latin at the Corpus Thomisticum website.A complete English translation is given at the websites of The Dominican Institute, Ibadan and the Dominican Province of St Joseph.
A different English translation, but only of the first ten chapters, is found at the website of Ecclesia Triumphans Catholic Apologetics
Contents
The titles of the first ten chapters given in the latter translation indicate something of the contents of the short work:- How it should be understood when it is said that the Son comes from the Father as an effect from a cause (Quomodo intelligitur hoc quod dicitur quod filius habet a patre sicut causatum a causa).
- How it should be understood when it is said that the Son is second, after the Father, and the Holy Spirit is third (Quomodo intelligitur cum dicitur, quod filius sit secundus a patre, et spiritus sanctus sit tertius).
- How it should be understood when it is said that the Holy Spirit is the third light (Quomodo intelligitur hoc quod spiritus sanctus sit tertium lumen).
- How it should be understood when it is said that essence is begotten in the Son, and spirated in the Holy Spirit (Quomodo intelligitur, quod essentia sit genita in filio, et spirata in spiritu sancto).
- How it should be understood when it is said that Jesus is the Son of the Father's essence (Quomodo intelligitur quod Iesus dicitur filius paternae essentiae).
- How it should be understood when it is said that what naturally belongs to the Father, naturally belongs to the Son (Quomodo intelligitur, quod quae sunt propria naturaliter patris, sunt propria filii).
- How it should be understood when it is said that the perfection of the Father does not lack anything from either the Son or the Holy Spirit (Quomodo intelligitur quod pater neque filio neque spiritu sancto indiget ad sui perfectionem).
- How it should be understood when the Holy Spirit is called unbegotten (Quomodo intelligitur quod spiritus sanctus dicatur ingenitus).
- How it should be understood when the Holy Spirit is said to be the middle between the Father and the Son (Quomodo intelligitur quod spiritus sanctus dicitur medius patris et filii).
- How it should be understood when it is said that the Holy Spirit is the image of the Son (Quomodo intelligitur hoc quod dicitur, quod spiritus sanctus sit imago filii).
In his treatise, Aquinas "demonstrated that there was a theological harmony between the Greek Church Fathers and the Latin Church". He pointed out that one source of misunderstandings between Greeks and Latins was the difficulty of finding appropriate words in each language` with which to translate technical theological terms used in the other:
- Many things which sound well enough in GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
do not perhaps, sound well in LatinLatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. Hence, Latins and Greeks professing the same faith do so using different words. For among the Greeks it is said, correctly, and in a Catholic way, that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three hypostases. But with the Latins it does not sound right to say that there are three substantiae, even though on a purely verbal basis the term hypostasis in Greek means the same as the term substantia in Latin. The fact is, substantia in Latin is more frequently used to signify essence. And both we and the Greeks hold that in God there is but one essence. So where the Greeks speak of three hypostases, we Latins speak of three personae, as Augustine in the seventh book on the Trinity also teaches. And, doubtless, there are many similar instances. - It is, therefore, the task of the good translator, when translating material dealing with the Catholic faith, to preserve the meaning, but to adapt the mode of expression so that it is in harmony with the idiom of the language into which he is translating. For obviously, when anything spoken in a literary fashion in Latin is explained in common parlance, the explanation will be inept if it is simply word for word. All the more so, when anything expressed in one language is translated merely word for word into another, it will be no surprise if perplexity concerning the meaning of the original sometimes occurs.