Chapter I: On Superstition

S. Th. II-II, q. 92.

770. Superstition (bijgeloovigheid) is said from that which stands over, and therefore etymologically signifies every excess; but chiefly in the most excellent matter, namely, religion. Whence it is religion observed beyond measure. It is opposed to religion by excess, not indeed according to quantity, as if it exhibited more in divine worship than true religion, or as if God could be worshiped sufficiently or too much, or with greater honor than He is worthy of, for however much man worships, it is less than is owed to Him; but according to the object of worship or the mode of worshiping, and therefore it is defined: a vice exhibiting divine worship either to one to whom it ought not, or in a mode in which it ought not (a. 1).

This consequently contains two species: for divine worship can be exhibited 1. to Him to whom it is to be exhibited, namely, the true God, but in an undue mode, and this is undue worship of the true God; or 2. it can be exhibited to him to whom it ought not, namely, to a creature, and then it is worship of an undue thing. This in turn is threefold in species: for divine worship is directly ordered a) to exhibiting reverence to God (by sacrifice, vow, oblation), and therefore the first species of worship of a false deity is idolatry, which exhibits divine reverence to a creature; it is directly ordered b) to this, that man be instructed by God (by prayer, meditation, reading), and therefore the second species is divination, which seeks instruction from a demon; it is directly ordered c) to the direction of human acts (by sacraments, blessings, feasts) according to the institutions of God, and therefore the third species is vain observance, which seeks direction and assistance from a demon for obtaining certain effects, to which magic is reduced, by which someone seeks marvelous things (a. 2).