Catholic theology is based on scripture and tradition, interpreted by the Magisterium. The Bible is seen as the word of God, but not always taken literally. Sacred Tradition includes practices and beliefs not directly in the Bible, such as papal supremacy. Catholicism emphasizes the Trinity and salvation through Jesus, with rejection leading to eternal punishment.
Catholic theology is the body of knowledge and belief upon which the Catholic faith is based. In general, the terms “Catholicism” and “Catholic theology” refer to the Roman Catholic Church, although there are many other denominations – such as the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Catholic churches – which also describe themselves as “Catholic” but hold certain views . The theology of the Roman Catholic Church is primarily based on a fusion of scripture and tradition. The Magisterium, which is made up of the Pope and bishops and which serves as the Church’s teaching body, is responsible for interpreting and teaching tradition and Scripture, and is largely responsible for settling theological questions.
One of the main foundations of Catholic theology is the Holy Scriptures, that is, the canonical books of the Bible. Catholic theology says that the Bible was written by humans but that those human authors were influenced by God, so the Bible can be seen as the word of God. Catholics, however, do not take the Bible completely literally, as many other Christian denominations do. Instead, they believe that everything in the Bible has an element of truth that is not necessarily related to its factual basis. Catholics, for example, tend not to accept that the world was literally created in seven days, choosing instead to interpret the Bible’s creation story figuratively.
Another important element of Catholic theology is a body of tradition known as Sacred Tradition. It, just like the Bible, is considered to be inspired by God to some extent, particularly because many aspects of it are believed to come from Jesus Christ. Sacred Tradition includes practices and beliefs which are important elements of the Catholic Church but which are not directly referred to in the Bible. The supremacy of the pope, for example, is not explicitly spelled out in the Bible but, through Sacred Tradition, papal supremacy is an important aspect of Catholic theology.
Catholic theology is very expansive and nuanced, although there are some major points that define particularly definite aspects of the Catholic faith. One is the belief in the Trinity, or in a God composed of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. As in other Christian denominations, Catholicism places great emphasis on the idea that salvation from sin can only be achieved through Jesus Christ, the Son. Following Jesus leads to immortal life and heaven, while freely and willfully rejecting God’s love leads to eternal punishment in hell. Catholic theology does not support the Calvinist idea that only a select few are predestined to go to heaven.
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