Article 22

In the twenty-second article, the question is raised whether one is able to dispute in places of learning whether the soul of Christ and all other rational souls are transmitted [from the parent]. (This doctrine, known as 'Traducianism,' originates in Tertullian. Augustine, in De Genesis ad Litteram, rejected the doctrine inasmuch as it implied a corporeal transmission of the soul (10.25.41–10.26.45). Aquinas, who subscribes to Creationism, dismisses the teaching briefly in S.Th., I, q. 100 a. 1 ad 2 and in depth in . A parallel question is found in De 43 Articulus a. 32,* in which Thomas unequivocally states that traducianism is contrary to the Catholic faith while adding that the question is generally safe to raise in order to demonstrate the truth of the matter. See also De 30 Articulis, article 16.)*

I do not see why this would not be permitted—unless, perhaps, raising the question would cause scandal for some people. For it does sometimes happen that simple souls hear that even those things that are of the Faith are disputed in places of learning and they think they are disputed because the truth of the Faith is itself called into question. However, in order to eliminate such a false understanding, someone who debates the issue could testify that he does not call the truth of the matter into doubt and that he merely raises the question for the sake of examining the foundation of the truth.