study notes based on Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Illinois: Tan Books, 1974

CONTENTS

Grace in General Actual Grace Habitual Grace Merit

Introduction: Grace in General

1. The Subjective Redemption in General

• Objective Redemption: Jesus dies on the cross for us
• Subjective Redemption (or justification or sanctification): the fruits of objective redemption are applied to the individual

2. The Concept of Grace

• a. The Notion of Grace in Sacred Scripture
  • Subjective sense: benevolence of superior to a subject (Gen 30:27; Lk 1:30)
  • Objective sense: unmerited gift because of the benevolent disposition of the superior (Rom 11:6)
  • A third meaning: pleasing charm (Ps 44:3; Prov 31:30)
• A fourth meaning: thanks for favors received (Lk 17:9; I Cor 10:30)
• b. The Notion of Grace in Theology
  • Takes objective sense of Scripture: unmerited gift of God to man
• Narrower and proper sense: a supernatural gift, given freely (or gratuitously) by God to man for his eternal salvation
• c. Causes of Grace
  • Efficient Cause
    • Principal: Triune God
    • Instrumental: Christ’s Human Nature and the Sacraments
  • Meritorious Cause: Jesus Christ, by his Passion and Death
  • Final Cause

• Primary: glory of God
• Secondary: eternal salvation of man

3. Classifications of Grace

• a. Uncreated Grace – Created Grace
  • Uncreated Grace: God,
    • In determining to give us grace

• In communicating himself in the Hypostatic Union
• In so far as he dwells in the souls of the just
• In so far as he gives himself in the Beatific Vision
• Created Grace
• b. The Grace of God (Creator) – The Grace of Christ (Redeemer)
  • Grace of the Creator: out of love, given to angels and our first parents, to elevate
• Grace of the Redeemer: out of love and mercy, given to fallen man, to heal and elevate
• c. External Grace – Internal Grace
  • External Grace: external to man (e.g. Revelation; Christ’s teaching and example; sermons; the Liturgy; the Sacraments; the example of the Saints)
• Internal Grace: affects man internally (e.g. sanctifying grace, actual grace, infused virtues)
• d. Gratis Data Grace – Gratum Faciens Grace
  • Gratis data: given to a particular person for the salvation of others such as the charisms (prophecy, gift of miracles, gift of tongues: I Cor 12:8 ff), the priestly power of consecration, the hierarchical power of jurisdiction, the grace of state
  • Gratum faciens: given for the personal sanctification of the recipient

• Habitual (sanctifying) grace: formally sanctifies the person. Constant supernatural quality of the soul which sanctifies man intrinsically and makes him just and pleasing to God

• Actual grace: a temporary supernatural intervention by God by which the powers of the soul are stirred up to perform a salutary act to prepare man for sanctification, or to preserve and increase his sanctification

4. Principal Errors Concerning Grace

• a. Pelagianism
  • Man not elevated into a supernatural state; also, no such thing as original sin
  • Adam’s sin: affects descendants through bad example only; and Christ’s Redemption is mere good example
• Man can live a sinless and holy life and merit eternal happiness by his own power
• b. Semi-Pelagianism
  • Man is elevated into a supernatural state; original sin exists
  • The first desire for salvation comes from the natural powers of man
  • Man requires inner supernatural grace as a preparation for justification and for achieving salvation, but does not require supernatural help to persevere in virtue to the end
• Man can merit, de congruo (see “Merit” below), the first grace by his own natural endeavors
• c. Luther’s error
  • Grace is part of human nature
  • With original sin, human nature was entirely corrupted
  • Man, of his own power, is incapable of knowing religious truth, or of performing morally good actions
  • Man’s will is no longer free, and can do nothing but sin
  • Grace is not capable of saving or intrinsically renewing and sanctifying human nature
  • Justification merely covers man’s sinfulness
  • Man’s will is purely passive, does not cooperate with grace
• Grace alone performs the work of justification
• d. Baius, Jansen, Quesnel
  • Baius (+1589): man’s will intrinsically unfree; his actions either come from his evil concupiscence (in which case they are bad) or from charity infused by God (in which case they are good)
  • Jansen (+1638): man’s will not free, incapable of any goodness; his actions either come from earthly desires (in which case they are bad) or from heavenly desires produced by grace (in which case they are good)
• Quesnel (+1719): popularized views of Baius and Jansen; Christ’s grace is irresistible.
• e. Modern Rationalism
  • Denies everything supernatural and also original sin
  • Accepts Pelagianism

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A. Actual Grace

1. Concept and Nature of Actual Grace

• Actual grace is a temporary supernatural act of God directed towards the spiritual power of man for the purpose of moving him to a salutary act.
• Actual grace internally and directly enlightens the understanding and strengthens the will. (Sententia certa) (II Council of Orange (529); Phil 2:13; Jn 6:44; St Augustine)

2. When Actual Grace Acts: Antecedent and Consequent Grace

• Antecedent Grace. There is a supernatural intervention of God in the faculties of the soul which precedes the free act of the will. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Apoc 3:20; Jn 6:44; Jer 17:23; Ps 94:8)
• Consequent Grace. There is a supernatural influence of God in the faculties of the soul which coincides in time with man’s free act of will. (De fide) (Council of Trent; I Cor 15:10; St Augustine)

3. The Need for Actual Grace

• a. Need for Grace in Acts of the Supernatural Order
  • For every salutary act, the internal supernatural grace of God is absolutely necessary. (De fide) (II Council of Orange; Council of Trent; Jn 15:1 ff; Eph 4:15 ff; Col 2:19; II Cor 3:5; Rom 9:16; Phil 2:13; I Cor 12:3; St Augustine)
  • For the beginning of faith and of salvation, internal supernatural grace is also absolutely necessary. (De fide) (II Council of Orange; Council of Trent; Eph 2:8; Jn 6:66; St Augustine; St Cyprian; St Ambrose; St Gregory Nazianzene)
  • For the performance of salutary acts, the justified also require actual grace. (Sententia communis)
  • For final perseverance, the special help of God is also necessary. (De fide) (II Council of Orange; Council of Trent; Phil 1:6; Mt 26:41; St Augustine)
• To avoid all sins, even venial sins, for his whole life long, the justified person needs the special privilege of the grace of God. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Council of Carthage; James 3:2; Mt 6:12; St Augustine)
• b. Man’s Capacity and Limit to Act without Grace
  • The Capacity of the Merely Natural Man to Act
    • Even in the fallen state, man can, by his natural intellectual power, know religious and moral truths. (De fide) (Pope Clement XI; Vatican Council I)

• In the condition of fallen nature, it is morally impossible for man without restoring grace to fulfil the entire moral law and to overcome all serious temptations for any considerable period of time. (Sententia certa)

4. The Distribution of Actual Grace

• a. God’s Freedom in Giving Grace
  • Grace cannot be merited by natural works either de condigno or de congruo. (De fide) (II Council of Orange; Council of Trent; Rom 3:24; Rom 11:6; St Augustine)
  • Grace cannot be obtained by petitions deriving from purely natural prayer. (Sententia certa) (II Council of Orange; Rom 8:26; St Augustine)
• Man of himself cannot acquire any positive disposition for grace. (Sententia certa) (II Council of Orange; Jn 6:44; Jn 15:5; I Cor 4:7; Eph 2:8; St Augustine)
• b. The Universality of Grace
  • Despite men’s sins, God truly and earnestly desires the salvation of all men. (Sententia fidei proxima) (Pope Alexander VIII; I Tim 2:4; pre-Augustinian Fathers)
  • God gives all the just sufficient grace for the observation of the Divine Commandments. (De fide) (II Council of Orange; I Cor 10:13; St Augustine)
  • God gives all the faithful who are sinners sufficient grace for conversion. (Sententia communis) (Ez 33:11; II Pt 3:9; Rom 2:4)
• God gives all innocent unbelievers sufficient grace to achieve eternal salvation. (Sententia certa) (Pope Alexander VIII; I Tim 2:4; II Pt 3:9; I Jn 2:2; II Cor 5:15; I Tim 2:6; Rom 5:18; St John Chrysostom)
• c. The Mystery of Predestination
• God, by his Eternal Resolve of Will, has predetermined certain men to eternal blessedness. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Rom 8:29 ff; Mt 25:34; Jn 10:27 ff; Acts 13:48; Eph 1:4 ff; St Augustine)
• d. The Mystery of Reprobation
• God, by an Eternal Resolve of His Will, predestines certain men, on account of their foreseen sins, to eternal rejection. (De fide) (Synod of Valence; Mt 25:41; Rom 9:22)

5. The Relation between Grace and Freedom

• The human will remains free under the influence of efficacious grace, which is not irresistible. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Innocent X; Dt 30:19; Ecclus 15:18; 31:10; Mt 23:37; Acts 7:51; I Cor 15:10; St Augustine)
• There is a grace which is truly sufficient and yet remains inefficacious. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Pope Alexander VIII; Mt 23:37; Acts 7:51; St Augustine)

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B. Habitual Grace

1. The Process of Justification

• a. The Concept of Justification
• Transition from state of sin to state of grace.
• b. The Causes of Justification
  • Efficient Cause
    • Principal: the mercy of God
    • Instrumental: Baptism (1st justification) and Confession
  • Meritorious Cause: Jesus Christ, by his Passion and Death
  • Formal Cause: God’s justice, by which he makes us just, i.e., sanctifying grace
  • Final Cause
    • Primary: glory of God
    • Secondary: eternal salvation of man
• c. The Preparation for Justification
  • The sinner can and must prepare himself by the help of actual grace for the reception of the grace by which he is justified. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Zach 1:3; Lam 5:21; St Augustine)
  • The justification of an adult is not possible without Faith. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Mk 16:16; Jn 20:31; Heb 11:6)
  • Besides faith, further acts of disposition must be present. (De fide)
  • Fear of divine justice; hope in the mercy of God for the sake of the merits of Christ; the beginning of the love of God; hate and detestation of sin; the purpose of receiving Baptism and of beginning a new life (Council of Trent)
• Fear of God (Ecclus 1:27 ff; Prov 14:27); hope (Ecclus 2:9); love of God (Lk 7:27; I Jn 3:14); sorrow and penance (Ez 18:30; 33:11; Mt 4:17; Acts 2:38; 3:19)

2. The State of Justification

• a. The Nature of Sanctifying Grace
  • Ontological Definition
    • Sanctifying grace is a created supernatural gift really distinct from God. (Sententia fidei proxima) (Council of Trent)

• Sanctifying grace is a supernatural state of being which is infused by God, and which permanently inheres in the soul. (Sententia certa) (Council of Trent; I Jn 3:9; St Cyril of Alexandria)
• Sanctifying grace is not a substance, but a real accident, which inheres in the soul. (Sententia certa) (Council of Trent)
• Sanctifying grace is really distinct from charity. (Sententia communior) (St Thomas Aquinas)
• Theological Definition
  • Supernatural grace is a participation in the Divine nature. (Sententia certa) (II Pt 1:4)
• b. The Formal Effects of Sanctifying Grace
  • Sanctifying grace sanctifies the soul. (De fide) (Council of Trent; I Cor 6:11; Eph 4:24)
  • Sanctifying grace bestows supernatural beauty on the soul. (Sententia communis) (Roman Catechism)
  • Sanctifying grace makes the just man a friend of God. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Jn 15:14 ff; St John Chrysostom)
  • Sanctifying grace makes the just man a child of God and gives him a claim to the inheritance of heaven. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Rom 8:15-17)
• Sanctifying grace makes the just man a temple of the Holy Spirit. (Sententia certa) (I Cor 3:16; St Irenaeus)
• c. Other Supernatural Gifts that come with Sanctifying Grace
  • The three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity are infused with sanctifying grace. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Rom 5:5; I Cor 13:13; St John Chrysostom)
  • The moral virtues are also infused with sanctifying grace. (Sententia communis) (Council of Vienne; Roman Catechism; St Augustine)
• The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are also infused with sanctifying grace. (Sententia communis) (Is 11:2 ff; Pope Leo XIII)
• d. The Attributes of the State of Grace
  • Without special Divine Revelation no one can know with the certainty of faith if he be in the state of grace. (De fide) (Council of Trent; I Cor 4:4; Phil 2:12)
  • The degree of justifying grace is not identical in all the just. (De fide) ) (Council of Trent; Eph 4:7; I Cor 12:11; II Pt 3:18; Apoc 22:11; St Jerome)
  • Grace can be increased by good works. (De fide) (Council of Trent; Eph 4:7; I Cor 12:11; II Pt 3:18; Apoc 22:11; St Jerome)
• The grace by which we are justified may be lost, and is lost by every grievous sin. (De fide) (Council of Trent; I Cor 10:12; St Jerome)

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C. Merit: The Fruit or Consequence of Justification

• a. The Reality of Supernatural Merit
• By his good works, the justified man really acquires a claim to supernatural reward from God. (De fide) (II Council of Orange; Mt 5:12; etc.; St Ignatius of Antioch; St Justin; St Augustine)
• b. The Conditions for Supernatural Merit
  • The meritorious work itself must be
    • Morally good (Eph 6:8)
    • Free from external coercion and internal necessity (Pope Innocent X; Mt 19:21; St Jerome)
    • Supernatural (inspired by actual grace and proceeding from a supernatural motive) (Mt 9:40; Col 3:17)
  • The person meriting must be
    • Here on earth (wayfarer). (Jn 9:4)
    • In the state of grace (Council of Trent; I Cor 13:2 ff; St Augustine)
• God must decree and promise a reward
• c. The Object of Supernatural Merit
  • Object of Merit of Right (merito de condigno): A just man merits for himself through each good work an increase of sanctifying grace, eternal life (if he dies in a state of grace) and an increase of heavenly glory. (De fide) (Council of Trent)
  • Object of Congruous Merit (merito de congruo): no definite doctrinal decision on this matter
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