What is Apostasy?

Well, here we go with a first real posting. The topic, naturally enough, is “apostasy”.

The Catholic Church, from which I herein declare myself publicly apostate, prefers not to talk much about the sin, (indeed the “crime”) of apostasy any more. It seems many of these intolerant and inconvenient teachings have been quietly sidelined since the Second Vatican Council. However the history of the sin of apostasy and its punishment through Catholic (and of course other Christian) history is a very sorry one, and speaks volumes for the fallability of that Church.

The following quotations come from the historically very influential and authoritative 1907-1914 Catholic Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_encyclopedia)  – preserved and placed online for the purposes of instructing the faithful in orthodox Catholicism at several websites, including http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01624b.htm

(NB I have copied only those sections most of interest to my posting, not the entire chapter. Anyone interested in the entire section can follow the link)

Apostasy

(apo, from, and stasis, station, standing, or position).

The word itself in its etymological sense, signifies the desertion of a post, the giving up of a state of life; he who voluntarily embraces a definite state of life cannot leave it, therefore, without becoming an apostate. Most authors, however, distinguish with Benedict XIV between three kinds of apostasy: apostasy a Fide or perfidiae, when a Christian gives up his faith; apostasy ab ordine, when a cleric abandons the ecclesiastical state; apostasy a religione, or monachatus, when a religious leaves the religious life.

APOSTASY A FIDE, or PERFIDIÆ

Perfidiæ is the complete and voluntary abandonment of the Christian religion, whether the apostate embraces another religion such as Paganism, Judaism, Mohammedanism, etc., or merely makes profession of Naturalism, Rationalism, etc. The heretic differs from the apostate in that he only denies one or more of the doctrines of revealed religion, whereas the apostate denies the religion itself, a sin which has always been looked upon as one of the most grievous. The “Shepherd” of Hermas, a work written in Rome in the middle of the second century, states positively that there is no forgiveness for those who have wilfully denied the Lord… Apostasy belonged, therefore, to the class of sins for which the Church imposed perpetual penance and excommunication without hope of pardon, leaving the forgiveness of the sin to God alone. After the Decian persecution (249, 250), however, the great numbers of Lapsi and Libellatici, and the claims of the Martyres or Confessores, who assumed the right of remitting the sin of apostasy by giving the Lapsi a letter of communion, led to a relaxation of the rigour of ecclesiastical discipline. St. Cyprian and the Council of the African Church which met at Carthage in 251 admitted the principle of the Church’s right to remit the sin of apostasy, even before the hour of death. Pope Cornelius and the council which he held at Rome confirmed the decisions of the Synod of Carthage, and the discipline of forgiveness was gradually introduced into all the Churches… Nevertheless, the Council of Elvira, held in Spain about the year 300, still refused forgiveness to apostates… When the Roman Empire became Christian, apostates were punished by deprivation of all civil rights. They could not give evidence in a court of law, and could neither bequeath nor inherit property. To induce anyone to apostatize was an offence punishable with death… In the Middle Ages, both civil and canon law classed apostates with heretics… The Inquisition could therefore proceed against them. The Spanish Inquisition was directed, at the end of the fifteenth century, chiefly against apostates, the Maranos, or new Christians, Jews converted by force rather than by conviction; while in 1609 it dealt severely with the Moriscos, or professedly-converted Moors of Spain.

Today the temporal penalties formerly inflicted on apostates and heretics cannot be enforced, and have fallen into abeyance. The spiritual penalties are the same as those which apply to heretics. In order, however, to incur these penalties, it is necessary, in accordance with the general principles of canon law, that the apostasy should be shown in some way. Apostates, with all who receive, protect, or befriend them, incur excommunication… They incur, moreover, the note of “infamy”, at least when their apostasy is notorious, and are “irregular”; an infamy and an irregularity which extend to the son and the grandson of an apostate father, and to the son of an apostate mother, should the parents die without being reconciled to the Church… Any writings of theirs, in which they uphold heresy and schism, or labour to undermine the foundations of faith, are on the Index, and those who read them incur the excommunication… Apostasy constitutes an impediment to marriage, and the apostasy of husband or wife is a sufficient reason for separation

The post Vatican II authoritative source of Catholic teaching is of course the official Catechism of the Catholic Church, available at the Vatican website http://www.vatican.va

The teaching remains but the severity of its presentation is somewhat mute by comparison:

 2089 Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it. “Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.” (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm#2089)

It would seem the punishments under Canon Law have been greatly softened also: (see http://www.vatican.va/archive/cdc/index.htm)

Can. 1311 The Church has its own inherent right to constrain with penal sanctions Christ’s faithful who commit offences.

Can. 1312 ß1 The penal sanctions in the Church are:

1ƒ medicinal penalties or censures, which are listed in canon. 1331‚1333;

2ƒ expiatory penalties, mentioned in Can. 1336;

ß2 The law may determine other expiatory penalties which deprive a member of Christ’s faithful of some spiritual or temporal good, and are consistent with the Church’s supernatural purpose.

ß3 Use is also made of penal remedies and penances: the former primarily to prevent offences, the latter rather to substitute for or to augment a penalty.

Can. 1331 ß1 An excommunicated person is forbidden:

1ƒ to have any ministerial part in the celebration of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist or in any other ceremonies of public worship;

2ƒ to celebrate the sacraments or sacramentals and to receive the sacraments ;

3ƒ to exercise any ecclesiastical offices, ministries, functions or acts of governance.

 Can. 1364 ß1 An apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication

So that is what I have wrought on myself in this willful and fully informed decision to separate myself from the Catholic Church.

I am indeed thankful to live in an era and society in which such an act of impiety does not endanger my life or property or ability to participate fully in civic life! I am more aware now of some of the many cases of abuse of human rights of freethinkers, heretics and many others by, or in the name of, or on behalf of the Church, down through history. As the Catholic Encyclopedia entry makes clear, even through the 20th century – until the Second Vatican Council – the Church has vigorously penalized dissenters.  I intend to discuss such things in future posts in more detail.

I am also aware that in parts of the world today, there are brave souls prepared to place their lives at risk by declaring their apostasy from Islam. These are the truly heroic opponents of religion today! I will discuss my own religious journey and apostasy in later posts, but I truly wonder whether I would have been brave enough to declare myself apostate had I lived under a regime where it could mean my death!

Islam is another topic that will arise frequently in future posts on this blog. Throughout the world it displays in all official forums a medieval mindset totally incompatible with the modern world. It must change. I believe this is the most pressing human rights issue confronting the world today. The Catholic Church, as I intend to explore and reveal, has changed from burning heretics and witches to defending human rights – even of terrorists! So I believe Islam can too!

I humbly dedicate this blog to those brave Muslim apostates and reformers! (www.faithfreedom.org)

It is my hope and intent to play some small part in enshrining and defending these rights I enjoy, all around the world.