Is it Catholic doctrine that no one can be certain of being in God's grace?
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From the Wikipedia article [Trial of Joan of Arc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_of_Joan_of_Arc) :
> Several questions of a theological nature followed, including this one:
>
>Question: Do you know whether or not you are in God's grace?
>
>Joan: If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me. I should be the saddest creature in the world if I knew I were not in His grace.
>
>The question was a deliberate attempt to entrap her, **since the Church's doctrine held that no one could be certain of being in God's grace**; and yet answering 'no' could also be used against her because the judge could claim she had admitted to being in a state of sin.
QUESTION: Specifically, in reference to *since the Church's doctrine held that no one could be certain of being in God's grace*, where may I actually find the Catholic Church officially having promulgated the doctrine referred to here? Was it promulgated by a particular Pope? Council? Is it part of official Catholic Dogma? *de Fide*? something lesser?
I am looking for an official declaration of doctrine.
Thank you.
Asked by DDS
(3256 rep)
May 28, 2023, 08:20 PM
Last activity: Jun 28, 2023, 11:29 PM
Last activity: Jun 28, 2023, 11:29 PM