Roman Catholic Theology
According to the Catholic Church, there are two types of revelations: divine revelation, which is in the Word of God (the Bible and Sacred Tradition), and in the Word of God incarnate (Jesus Christ), and personal revelation, which is a heavenly message that helps people live by divine revelation.
Other terms for divine revelation include public prophesy, public revelation, fundamental revelation, and definitive revelation, while other terms for personal revelation include private prophesy, private revelation, dependent revelation, and particular revelation.
Divine revelation was fulfilled, completed, and perfected in Christ, the fullness and mediator, author and interpreter, purpose and center of public revelation. Hence, public revelation is the deposit of faith and rule of faith and must be lived by all Catholics. Saint Thomas Aquinas taught that all public revelation ended with the death of Saint John the Apostle. Private revelations cannot surpass, correct, improve, or complete public revelation.
The revelations in the Word of God – such as the apparition of the three angels to Abraham and the angel who wrestled Jacob; the burning bush; the theophany on Mount Sinai; the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire; the visions and prophecies of the prophets; Elijah's test at the cave, and his assumption; the revelation to St. Peter ("You are the Christ"); the apparitions of the risen Christ to the Apostles, including the exceptional and unique apparition to St. Paul; the various miracles recorded in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles; and the entire Book of Revelation – are not private revelations but are public revelation. The apparition of Our Lady of the Pillar to St. James the Greater is not a private revelation, public revelation, or Catholic dogma; it is an ecclesial tradition.
Because Christ promised that the Holy Spirit would lead the church into every truth, the Lord leads the church into a deeper understanding of Christ. One of the ways he does this is by private revelation. Because Christ warned that false prophets would come and that the tree must be known by its fruit, the church is skeptical of spiritual experiences.
Read more about this topic: Private Revelation
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