CREATION AND FALL
275
43. What has the Church said about the devil? Three Councils recognized the existence of the devif-IV Lateran, Trent and Vatican I. Their intention was to assert that there is no absolute primal evil but only the evil due to the decision of free creatures. Nevertheless, their definitions _imply the existence of personal, non-human beings. The devil is not mentioned in the early Creeds. The Fathers of the Church, however, were unanimous in their agreement that he existed. The
New Testament is warranty for their conviction. Satan is mentioned in every book but two-the Second and Third Epistles of John.
44. What is the devil? He is part of that spiritual creation of which we spoke earlier. And like all of creation he is subject to the sovereign will of God. Called to respond to God's invitation to union he rejected it. Prior to the free decision of men. therefore, the world already had an element of evil that was hostile to God. 45. What can be said of the present renewed Interest in the devil? As Richard Woods has said, "Overbelief in the power of Satan and the demons, or even accepting as Christian teaching the myths of the devil that sprang up over a thousand year period of Jewish- Christian speculation, is ... a covert kind of devil worship, and from a psychological and spiritual point of view, more destructive than skepticism." (Chicago Studies, Spring, 1973) The Church's teaching reminds man that he is not alone in this world. It also insists that all the world is subject to the Almighty Father, Maker of heaven and earth.