Part III (Secunda Secundae) Part 148 (1/2)

Now all these come under the head of the superst.i.tion of idolatry.

Wherefore Augustine says (De Doctr. Christ. ii, 20): ”Anything invented by man for making and wors.h.i.+pping idols, or for giving Divine wors.h.i.+p to a creature or any part of a creature, is superst.i.tious.”

Reply Obj. 1: Just as religion is not faith, but a confession of faith by outward signs, so superst.i.tion is a confession of unbelief by external wors.h.i.+p. Such a confession is signified by the term idolatry, but not by the term heresy, which only means a false opinion. Therefore heresy is a species of unbelief, but idolatry is a species of superst.i.tion.

Reply Obj. 2: The term latria may be taken in two senses. In one sense it may denote a human act pertaining to the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d: and then its signification remains the same, to whomsoever it be shown, because, in this sense, the thing to which it is shown is not included in its definition. Taken thus latria is applied univocally, whether to true religion or to idolatry, just as the payment of a tax is univocally the same, whether it is paid to the true or to a false king. In another sense latria denotes the same as religion, and then, since it is a virtue, it is essential thereto that divine wors.h.i.+p be given to whom it ought to be given; and in this way latria is applied equivocally to the latria of true religion, and to idolatry: just as prudence is applied equivocally to the prudence that is a virtue, and to that which is carnal.

Reply Obj. 3: The saying of the Apostle that ”an idol is nothing in the world” means that those images which were called idols, were not animated, or possessed of a divine power, as Hermes maintained, as though they were composed of spirit and body. In the same sense we must understand the saying that ”what is offered in sacrifice to idols is not anything,” because by being thus sacrificed the sacrificial flesh acquired neither sanctification, as the Gentiles thought, nor uncleanness, as the Jews held.

Reply Obj. 4: It was owing to the general custom among the Gentiles of wors.h.i.+pping any kind of creature under the form of images that the term ”idolatry” was used to signify any wors.h.i.+p of a creature, even without the use of images.

_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 94, Art. 2]

Whether Idolatry Is a Sin?

Objection 1: It would seem that idolatry is not a sin. Nothing is a sin that the true faith employs in wors.h.i.+pping G.o.d. Now the true faith employs images for the divine wors.h.i.+p: since both in the Tabernacle were there images of the cherubim, as related in Ex. 25, and in the Church are images set up which the faithful wors.h.i.+p.

Therefore idolatry, whereby idols are wors.h.i.+pped, is not a sin.

Obj. 2: Further, reverence should be paid to every superior. But the angels and the souls of the blessed are our superiors. Therefore it will be no sin to pay them reverence by wors.h.i.+p, of sacrifices or the like.

Obj. 3: Further, the most high G.o.d should be honored with an inward wors.h.i.+p, according to John 4:24, ”G.o.d ... they must adore ... in spirit and in truth”: and Augustine says (Enchiridion iii), that ”G.o.d is wors.h.i.+pped by faith, hope and charity.” Now a man may happen to wors.h.i.+p idols outwardly, and yet not wander from the true faith inwardly. Therefore it seems that we may wors.h.i.+p idols outwardly without prejudice to the divine wors.h.i.+p.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ex. 20:5): ”Thou shalt not adore them,” i.e. outwardly, ”nor serve them,” i.e. inwardly, as a gloss explains it: and it is a question of graven things and images.

Therefore it is a sin to wors.h.i.+p idols whether outwardly or inwardly.

_I answer that,_ There has been a twofold error in this matter. For some [*The School of Plato] have thought that to offer sacrifices and other things pertaining to latria, not only to G.o.d but also to the others aforesaid, is due and good in itself, since they held that divine honor should be paid to every superior nature, as being nearer to G.o.d. But this is unreasonable. For though we ought to revere all superiors, yet the same reverence is not due to them all: and something special is due to the most high G.o.d Who excels all in a singular manner: and this is the wors.h.i.+p of latria.

Nor can it be said, as some have maintained, that ”these visible sacrifices are fitting with regard to other G.o.ds, and that to the most high G.o.d, as being better than those others, better sacrifices, namely, the service of a pure mind, should be offered” [*Augustine, as quoted below]. The reason is that, as Augustine says (De Civ. Dei x, 19), ”external sacrifices are signs of internal, just as audible words are signs of things. Wherefore, just as by prayer and praise we utter significant words to Him, and offer to Him in our hearts the things they signify, so too in our sacrifices we ought to realize that we should offer a visible sacrifice to no other than to Him Whose invisible sacrifice we ourselves should be in our hearts.”

Others held that the outward wors.h.i.+p of latria should be given to idols, not as though it were something good or fitting in itself, but as being in harmony with the general custom. Thus Augustine (De Civ.

Dei vi, 10) quotes Seneca as saying: ”We shall adore,” says he, ”in such a way as to remember that our wors.h.i.+p is in accordance with custom rather than with the reality”: and (De Vera Relig. v) Augustine says that ”we must not seek religion from the philosophers, who accepted the same things for sacred, as did the people; and gave utterance in the schools to various and contrary opinions about the nature of their G.o.ds, and the sovereign good.” This error was embraced also by certain heretics [*The Helcesaitae], who affirmed that it is not wrong for one who is seized in time of persecution to wors.h.i.+p idols outwardly so long as he keeps the faith in his heart.

But this is evidently false. For since outward wors.h.i.+p is a sign of the inward wors.h.i.+p, just as it is a wicked lie to affirm the contrary of what one holds inwardly of the true faith so too is it a wicked falsehood to pay outward wors.h.i.+p to anything counter to the sentiments of one's heart. Wherefore Augustine condemns Seneca (De Civ. Dei vi, 10) in that ”his wors.h.i.+p of idols was so much the more infamous forasmuch as the things he did dishonestly were so done by him that the people believed him to act honestly.”

Reply Obj. 1: Neither in the Tabernacle or Temple of the Old Law, nor again now in the Church are images set up that the wors.h.i.+p of latria may be paid to them, but for the purpose of signification, in order that belief in the excellence of angels and saints may be impressed and confirmed in the mind of man. It is different with the image of Christ, to which latria is due on account of His Divinity, as we shall state in the Third Part (Q. 25, A. 3).

The Replies to the Second and Third Objections are evident from what has been said above.

_______________________

THIRD ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 94, Art. 3]

Whether Idolatry Is the Gravest of Sins?

Objection 1: It would seem that idolatry is not the gravest of sins.

The worst is opposed to the best (Ethic. viii, 10). But interior wors.h.i.+p, which consists of faith, hope and charity, is better than external wors.h.i.+p. Therefore unbelief, despair and hatred of G.o.d, which are opposed to internal wors.h.i.+p, are graver sins than idolatry, which is opposed to external wors.h.i.+p.

Obj. 2: Further, the more a sin is against G.o.d the more grievous it is. Now, seemingly, a man acts more directly against G.o.d by blaspheming, or denying the faith, than by giving G.o.d's wors.h.i.+p to another, which pertains to idolatry. Therefore blasphemy and denial of the faith are more grievous sins than idolatry.

Obj. 3: Further, it seems that lesser evils are punished with greater evils. But the sin of idolatry was punished with the sin against nature, as stated in Rom. 1:26. Therefore the sin against nature is a graver sin than idolatry.

Obj. 4: Further, Augustine says (Contra Faust. xx, 5): ”Neither do we say that you,” viz. the Manichees, ”are pagans, or a sect of pagans, but that you bear a certain likeness to them since you wors.h.i.+p many G.o.ds: and yet you are much worse than they are, for they wors.h.i.+p things that exist, but should not be wors.h.i.+ped as G.o.ds, whereas you wors.h.i.+p things that exist not at all.” Therefore the vice of heretical depravity is more grievous than idolatry.