An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine

One of the most seminal works of modern theology, "An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine" remains the classic text on the development of doctrine. Newman defines how true developments in doctrine occur, then considers the growth of Catholic doctrine from the time of the Apostles to his own era, arguing that Christianity has proceeded through the centuries according to the principle of development, and emphasizing that throughout the entire life of the Church this principle has been in effect—safeguarding the faith from corruption.