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An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine

by John Henry NEWMAN (1801 - 1890)

CHAPTER III. The Historical Argument in behalf of the existing Developments

After a long struggle against liberal tendencies in the Church of England and an unsuccessful attempt to establish the position of Anglicanism as a branch of historical Christianity whose doctrines could be proven to be identical with those of the primitive Church, John Henry Newman came to the painful realization that he could no longer remain a member of the Anglican Church. Increasingly drawn to Catholicism, he was nevertheless repulsed by the idea that the Roman Church, while preserving many ancient doctrines, had contaminated the faith by mixing into it its own invented traditions. Or could it be that these "new" doctrines were truly already present from the beginning, having only become more explicit and better understood with the passage of the centuries? "So, I determined to write an essay on Doctrinal Development; and then, if, at the end of it, my convictions in favour of the Roman Church were not weaker, to make up my mind to seek admission into her fold" (Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua). - Summary by ekortright

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Listen next episodes of An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine:
CHAPTER IV. Instances in Illustration, Part 2 , CHAPTER V. Genuine Developments contrasted with Corruptions, Part 2 , CHAPTER VI. Application of the First Note of a true Development to the Existing Developments of Christian Doctrine: Preservation of its Type, Part 2 , CHAPTER VI. Application of the First Note of a true Development to the Existing Developments of Christian Doctrine: Preservation of its Type, Part 3 , CHAPTER VI. Application of the First Note of a true Development to the Existing Developments of Christian Doctrine: Preservation of its Type, Part 4 , CHAPTER VI. Application of the First Note of a true Development to the Existing Developments of Christian Doctrine: Preservation of its Type, Part 5 , CHAPTER VII. Application of the Second: Continuity of its Principles, Part 2 , CHAPTER VIII. Application of the Third: its Assimilative Power, Part 2 , CHAPTER IV. Instances in Illustration, Part 1 , CHAPTER IX. Application of the Fourth: its Logical Sequence , CHAPTER V. Genuine Developments contrasted with Corruptions, Part 1 , CHAPTER VI. Application of the First Note of a true Development to the Existing Developments of Christian Doctrine: Preservation of its Type, Part 1 , CHAPTER VII. Application of the Second: Continuity of its Principles, Part 1 , CHAPTER VIII. Application of the Third: its Assimilative Power, Part 1 , CHAPTER X. Application of the Fifth: Anticipation of its Future , CHAPTER XI. Application of the Sixth: Conservative Action on its Past , CHAPTER XII. Application of the Seventh: its Chronic Vigour. Conclusion