Article — Noldin, Summa of Moral Theology
Article Second. On Idolatry
151. Notions. 1. Idolatry is superstition by which divine worship is exhibited to a creature, whether this is an animate or inanimate thing, or finally the demon himself.
Therefore two things are required for true idolatry: first indeed, that the worship which is exhibited to the creature be truly divine worship owed to God alone, or a testification of supreme excellence; then, that this worship be exhibited to the creature seriously and truly, not fictitiously and by simulation or for the sake of jest.
A twofold idolatry is distinguished: formal, which is committed with the intention of adoring a creature; and material, which is done only externally without the will of adoring a creature, as when someone from fear of death adores an idol.
Formal idolatry again is twofold: perfect, if someone adores a creature which he in fact thinks to be God; and imperfect, if someone, knowing that there is nothing divine in the creature, nevertheless worships it with divine worship from hatred toward God or from desire of obtaining something from the demon.
152. Its moral malice. 1. All idolatry is a grave sin, indeed the gravest after sins which are opposed to the theological virtues, because all idolatry inflicts grave injury upon God, who alone is the principle of all things.
Therefore even material idolatry is a grave sin, although less grave than formal: for although it is not true idolatry, nevertheless it is an external denial of faith and a lie injurious to God against the virtue of religion.
- Perfect idolatry is a sin against faith and religion; imperfect idolatry indeed is not against faith, yet (insofar as it is idolatry) it is graver than that, since it proceeds from mere malice, not from ignorance, and involves great contempt of God. The former can be without fault, as if someone adores an unconsecrated host which in good faith he believes to be consecrated.
The sin of idolatry is committed not only by gentiles and magicians, but also by those who so worship and invoke saints as if they could furnish natural or supernatural gifts by their own power. In a certain broader sense, they commit idolatry who: a. attribute to false saints or to the damned the worship owed to true saints; b. take care that worship owed to saints be exhibited to themselves by feigned sanctity, false miracles, and false revelations. Today among baptized faithful, those commit the sin of idolatry together with the sin of apostasy who, imbued with the principles of materialism, worship nature as God in the manner of pagans, or who attempt to restore the worship which the ancient Germans exhibited to mythological figures (Wodan).