DOGMA ( Lat., from (fk. 36-yria, dogma, from SoKfiv, dokein, to seem). Ilriginally an opinion or I r..position, put in the form of a positive as its truth being supposed to have been pre\ ionsly shown. In theology, it was understood to signify a defined by the Church, and mhan•. el /111t for discussin, but for belief. But as this meth•l of stating truth easily degenerates into the ass•rtien of opinions without ground, and without regard to the aspect they may pre s•nt to others• a and dognottiRrn have tonne in English to be almost synonymous with asser tion without proof.
In Continental theology, however, the word is still used ‘vithout implying any censure, dogmas (Ger. n) meaning simply doctrines; and this is the ease in our own expression, dogmatic theobgy or dogmatics, which is branch of theology that treats of the systematic arrange ment of the doctrines of l'Iiristianity. The first attempt to give a com••ted vices of doctrine was made in the fourth century by Augustine, who in his Enefoiridion and other works treated of the whole of doctrine held by the Church. though w it flout any very scientific arrangement. The contributions to dogmatics made in the fifth, and seventh centuries were Melt. Of 'sentences.' In the East, in the eighth century, the doctrines of the Bieck Church were treated by .1ohn of Damascus in a form already Aristotelian, and his work may be considered the first systenia lea Ily arranged om dogma t honk as as influ ential in the Greek Church as the writings of Augustine in the Latin. The regular system atizing of doctrines began with the Seholast it's in the eleventh ce)itury, but degenerated often into hair-splitting. The first cultivators of dogmatic theology among the Seholasties were Ilildebert of Tours (died 11321 and AbMard (died 11421. who
were followed by Pctrus Loinhardus (died 11(14), Alexander of Ilales (died 12151, Thomas Aquinas ((lied 1274), Dims Scotus ((lied 1:10q1.
The era of the Be formation revived loginntie controversy, leading it back from .\ristotle to biblical theology. Ifut the controversies between the different churches in the seventeenth eentury and the too great importanee attached to con fessions of faith. cramped anew its freedom, and gave it again a Seholastic turn. t For the history of these controversies and for the later develop ment of Protestant dogmatics, which, under the influence of tl•rniati criticism and philosophy, have assumed a less and less positive form, See REFORMATION ; ItERM.AN TIIEDLOGY.) Under the stimulus of from without, the theolo gians of the Boman Catholic Chureh have de voted much labor in modern times to the pr,thie tion of systematic treatises, which usually ad here to the old logien] methods of the sehoolmen, while taking account of all modern objections to 'adult they consider revealed dogmas. The names of Canisius, Petavius. Thomas-in, Bellarmine, Suarez, Liebermann, and Perrone may he men tined among a host of others in the last three eenturies. Popc Leo N111. has consistently held tip Saint Thomas Aquinas as the norm of modern theology, and has caused an increased study and use of his works. As a result of the Tractorian movement. lunch more attention than b•rinerly has been paid to (logninti(• (h•ology in the Clitireli i f England and its allied bodies. but few complete or systeniatie works have been pro (hived, and many of the more modern :Ire derived from the Boman Catholic authorities named above. For the history of dogmas, see DreEkor mrxr or 1)orrat NE; CREEDS AND CONFESSIONS.