Title V: Legal Safeguards of Faith

General View. — Faith, a precious gift descending from the Father of lights, which the faithful carry in earthen vessels, the Church must fortify with safeguards, and she does not omit to do so.

Already for this end the profession of Faith, the abjuration of modern errors, is prescribed to many, so that rectors and leaders may not be devastators but upright and secure leaders and teachers of the faithful.

Then the laws concerning the censorship and prohibition of books admonish the faithful which writings they may approach safely and with an unoffending foot; which other writings are in no way, or only very cautiously, to be taken up. These laws are explained III, n. 889-906.

To this also pertains the proscription of propositions.

Then by the medicinal penalties themselves of censures, the faithful are taught to guard themselves from heresy and heretics, besides vindictive penalties which, as denounced, restrain heretical audacities.

Finally faith is protected by prohibitions which regard communication with unbelievers and non-Catholics, or disputations with heretics and exhibitions of religions.

Since the other things have already been declared, we must briefly discuss both of the latter arguments.