Folio 99

St. Gelasius I, 492-496

printed p. 67 · pdf p. 99

madness. . . . [But] since the Lord is superior, the pure truth of Catholic faith drawn from the concordant opinions of all the Fathers remains present. . . . (2) . . . What pray permits us to abrogate what has been condemned by the venerable Fathers, and to reconsider the impious dogmas that have been demolished by them? Why is it, therefore, that we take such great precautions lest any dangerous heresy, once driven out, strive anew to come [up] for examination, if we argue that what has been known, discussed, and refuted of old by our elders ought to be restored? Are we not ourselves offering, which God forbid, to all the enemies of the truth an example of rising again against ourselves, which the Church will never permit? Where is it that it is written: Do not go beyond the limits of your fathers [Prov. 22:28], and: Ask your fathers and they will tell you, and your elders will declare unto you [Deut. 32:7]? Why, accordingly, do we aim beyond the definitions of our elders, or why do they not suffice for us? If in our ignorance we desire to learn something, how every single thing to be avoided has been prescribed by the orthodox fathers and elders, or everything to be adapted to Catholic truth has been decreed, why are they not approved by these? Or are we wiser than they, or shall we be able to stand constant with firm stability, if we should undermine those [dogmas] which have been established by them? . . . .

161*. The Authority and the Priesthood, and the Primacy of the Roman Pontiff. See Kch n. 959

The Canon of Sacred Scripture1

[From the epistle 42, or decretal "de recipiendis et non recipiendis libris," in the year 495]

162. An enumeration of the canonical books similar to that, which we have placed under DAMASUS [n. 84] is accustomed in certain codices to be set before the special Decree of GELASIUS. Nevertheless among others it is no longer read in this place. Of John the Apostle one epistle, of the other John the priest two epistles, but, of the Apostle John three epistles [cf. n. 84, 92, 96].

  1. ML 59, 157 A; Jf 700 c. Add.; cf. Th 44 ff.; Z II 261 ff.; EB n. 19 f.—the first part of this most celebrated "Decree of Gelasius" which Thiel, Turner, Ed. Schwartz and others attributed to Damasus, see n. 83 f. Turner and Ed. Schwartz think that even this part ought to be ascribed to DAMASUS (see n. 83 n.). Afterwards the same decree with a few additions necessary by reason of the time seems to have been repeated by HORMISDAS [n. 173 ff.] (Th 49). ↩