What is the difference between dogma and kerygma? Which one has more authority?
“Dogma” literally means a teaching or doctrine ( from the Latin doctus, teaching which also give us Doctor!) there are several in the Bible, both Testaments of it, which were stated in Jewish terms, then they had to be spelled out for those who were educated in the Greek logical, philosophical culture. “Kerygma” – kerux, Greek the Herald’s “trumpeted” message, or proclamation- the later Medieval “Hear Ye,” or “Oyez” corruption of the French, “listen up!”- and refers to the simple proclamation of the Christian Faith: that Jesus was a fullly human Man, who was the Christ, THE Son of God (by nature) “Dogma” had to spell that out more full:,He was born of a Virgin, was crucified died and buried, rose again, went back to heaven, sent out the Holy Spirit to continue His work; His Mother was Theotokos, that is Mother of God (Coiucil of Nicea 431) since the Human Child she conceived in her womb was there by the power of God; the simple NT references to The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (
