Catechism Wiki
This page is an official policy on Catechism Database. It has wide acceptance among editors and is considered a standard that all users should follow. If you are part of the administration, please feel free to update this page as needed, but make sure that changes you make to this policy really do reflect Catechism Database's perspective before you make them.
Saint Peter's Basilica 004

Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican, Rome, Italy

A key concept in the way that Catechism Database functions is what we call "Catholic Point of View," or "C.P.O.V." This concept is borrowed from Wikipedia, but has been adapted to fit our Catholic community and confession of faith.

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the Catechism Database purposes to present the Catholic viewpoint throughout the site. Articles on Catechism Database will be, so far as is reasonably possible, worded from a neutral point of view (NPOV). That is, disputes between Catholic groups will be characterized and described rather than entered into. Continue reading for further clarification. (Also see Wikipedia:NPOV for Wikipedia's version of the NPOV policy, which is largely compatible with the Catechism Database policy.)

we maintain a C.P.O.V because The articles of Catechism Database, are editable by anyone with an account, allowing anyone to collaboratively share the Faith. In order to be truthful[1][2], accurate and remain true to the intended message of the Apostolic Faith

  • Catechism Database is faithful to the Teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, both in its doctrinal and moral aspects;
  • Catechism Database concerns itself with all that pertains to Catholicism, excluding all subjects that lie outside that scope;
  • Catechism Database, respects and upholds the different views expressed within the Roman Catholic World.

Catholic Point of View

Peter Paul Rubens, Christ's Charge to Peter, c

Peter Paul Rubens, Christ's Charge to Peter

A Catholic Point of View entails that all content is written in a way that focuses on what the Catholic Church Teaches As a whole, rather than favoring a personal or denominational of Catholicism or interpretation. Obviously in order for content to match this perspective, it must comply with a standard definition of what the Catholic Church is, And what is considered Heresy and Orthodoxy

Consequently, When Writing, Catholic Dogmas are Always Considered Facts Same as the Earth is Round, Dogmas include the the Deity of Jesus, God is the Trinity, Jesus Present in the Eucharist and Many More, This also applies to Christian Morality. (Example: Abortion is Bad) Theological opinions (That do not go against the same Catholic dogmas) Like Limbo should be held as just opinions and Possibilities, and not as standing facts.

the CPOV considers the Sacred Scriptures to be fully God-inspired[3], but also considers the Sacred Tradition equal to the Sacred Scripture (if not greater, since the Bible is itself a tradition), An Concept Equivalent in Judaism as the Oral Torah

Fidelity to the magisterium of the Catholic Church

Pope Francis 007

Pope Francis, the Incubent Pope

In doctrinal and moral aspects the Catechism Database expresses the teaching of the Catholic Church. The reference point of Catechism Database is what is taught by the Catechism of the Catholic Church , to which Catechism Database is faithful, even if it differs in its thematic rather than systematic approach and from the deepening it gives to the various voices.

Catechism Database uses therefore clear tones on the topics that the Magisterium expresses equally clearly:

  • "Abortion is a murder"
  • "In Christ there are two natures and one person"
  • "Marriage is indissoluble"

etc.

Catechism Database does not have the concern of being pluralistic in relation to what contrasts with the teaching of the Church, even if it avoids the polemic for its own sake : the ultimate yardstick is charity, recalling the happy expression of Pope John XXIII : "Condemning sin , to love the sinner ".

Content Scope

Adam in a Byzantine mosaic (Monreale Cathedral)

Jesus and Adam

Obviously, anything which has no direct connection to the Catholic faith is not appropriate. Further, some things which are characteristic of Wikipedia articles but don't make sense on Catechism Database also should be left out, including the following: year articles (e.g., 325), or major historical people who had nothing directly to do with the Catholic Church (e.g., Axl Rose). Certainly, all of these items may have something to do with the Catholic Church, but their connections can be noted in articles about the events related in other articles which more directly bear on the Catholic faith.

Now Catholic Literature Like the Divine Comedy by Dante and the Golden Legend can have articles of its own, Because it is has many Connections with the Catholic Church and his theology.

On Catechism Database there are encyclopedic voices of Catholicism related content : the subject of the voices is therefore Catholic or has to do with Catholicism .

Relevance to Catholicism can be direct or indirect .

Those voices concerning purely Catholic matters have a direct bearing on Catholicism.

Some examples:

  • Jesus (of course) 
  • Saint Augustine of Hippo (obviously: saint and Catholic bishop) 
  • Arius (an important heretic fought by the Catholic Church) 
  • Moses (the Old Testament is preparation of the New)
  • Peter Paul Rubens (he painted many scenes from the Gospels)
  • Mozart (He was Himself a Catholic and composes many songs used in the mass.)
  • Israel (the people and the land of Jesus)
  • Rome (there is the Catholic Church)

Those items for which there is only one or more aspects that are relevant are of indirect relevance to Catholicism. These voices must be dealt with synthetically in the general aspect, and then in depth in the aspect or aspects of relevance to Catholicism; all that has nothing to do with Catholicism must be omitted.

Examples:

  • Islam (Islam came into contact many times with Catholicism) 
  • Mormons (the Catholic vision of Mormonism)
  • Averroè (Muslim philosopher who influenced Christianity and St Thomas Aquinas

References