Beginning of Essay
opment compatible with belief in the abiding truth of Christianity? The problem that the development of doctrine presents to the church is simple. On the one hand, Christianity is presented as containing the lasting and eternal truth of salvation and eternal life, ....

Middle of Essay
.... strong sense of authority of the church down the ages, and in particular the veracity of the official doctrines issued by the Popes and the Councils. If a Pope has held that Matthew’s gospel was written first, then it is very difficult for Catholic theologians to argue that that isn’t true, and that Mark’s gospel, for instance, was in fact the first written. Within this essay I shall be looking at different approaches to the issue before going on to try and find the most convincing solution, should that be possible. The history of doctrine in the early nineteenth century was seen by catholic theologians as being one of pure, unsullied teachi ....