I have read about the Catholic belief about "Development of Doctrine" but I still don't have a clear understanding.

For example: Such doctrines as the Trinity and the conception of Mary, or even the divinity of Christ, were not these things taught by the apostles (except mabey conception of Mary)?

Is the "development" something the church sees in scripture or tradition (as long as it does not contridict scripture). Like say the verses about the Trinity and the church discusses them with prayer and patience over time until the church pronounces them infallable?

-- Micheal W. (Noemail@nevr.str), May 14, 2004

Answers

The concept of "Development of Doctrine" as I understand it means that we can have a deeper understanding of doctrine, but the fudamental doctrines don't change and that revelation was complete with the death of the last apostle.

To quote: Anthony Dragani of EWTN, "It never contradicts tradition, but is a development in our understanding of tradition. As we progress in our understanding of the mysteries of faith, we are able to gradually grasp these mysteries more completely. Eventually this may result in a new doctrinal definition. But the seeds of such definitions are always found in the early Church."

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 15, 2004.