The "Middle" Position

The church has a theological attitude unknown in any other sect or group I know of: a middle between rejected and accepted -- the allowance of belief on certain subjects without the requirement of it! In every other group I have ever been a part of (protestant denominations, etc.), there has been a set of beliefs that were required to believe, or required not to believe.

In the Catholic Church, there are theological points and historical references that are allowed to be believed, but not required; the Marian apparitions for example (because they are private revelation). This unique category shows that the Church is not quick to accept a claim of new teaching. She is not willing to take on new things easily (for which we should all be thankful!) because the Lord told her not to.

This category of "allowed but not required" also helps us to understand that the Church does not bind the conscience of her people. If it is a required or forbidden belief she says so, but the Church does not presume to know everything and so she takes a cautious position on some subjects.

How does this work, and what does it look like, you ask? These are those subjects that are displayed outside of the normal charism that is given to the Pope and Bishops. Rather than just reject it, however, the Church examines it to determine if there is anything in it than clearly contradicts what is already established Church teaching. Once that has been determined, and assuming it is of a private nature (i.e. not a public revelation to the whole world), then the Church does not make a pronouncement on whether the proposition is true, but merely whether it is consistent with established teaching; in other words, "you may believe this if you want, but you do not have to."

What an amazing joy it is to realize the balanced position the Church has been able to take for the last 2000 years. In her authority she does not claim to know everything, but only what God has clearly revealed to her. Not everyone is a prophet, nor a Pope, or even a theologian. Yet, God does speak to more than just the Popes, albeit these things are not required dogma, but not everything God says or does needs to be recorded. It is ok for there to be mystery in our faith.

In the end, it will not matter whether certain things were true (like the revelations that are associated with the apparition of the Blessed Virgin at Fatima). What matters is: did we accept what the Church told us to accept and reject what she told us to reject? And did we hold to truths that were consistent with the Truth of God so that we can not be misled by other errors. This is how God works: to make sure we know what is needed, and encourage us not to get caught up in an OCD attitude towards every theological detail. It is good and holy to admit (to ourselves and others) that we are confident about what we do know, and humble about the rest.