History and condemnation of modernism.
Padraic42
Catholic Church History by Msgr. Eberhardt
Materialist Agnosticism (1870- ) XI. Individualistic Heyday
(1870-1919)
92. St. Pius X and Catholic Action (1903-14)
B. Modernism in Kant
(1) EVOLUTION OF MODERNISM
Origin and nature. Modernism was the attempt of certain Catholic
scholars-their eyes captivated by contemporary philosophy and science -to
renovate or "modernize" the Catholic Church, not only in discipline, but even
in dogma, by applying to it principles of Kantian subjectivism. Though the
external fabric of ecclesiastical organization and the dogmatic terminology
were to remain, behind this facade the innovators hoped to "reinterpret"
Catholicity in the light of "modern needs." Thus, Modernism became a form of
subjective Nominalism whereby the meaning underlying dogmatic expressions would
be expounded according to the personal views of theologians and thereby the
more easily harmonized with contemporary non-Catholic thought. "Revelation,"
Modernists said, "is not an affirmation but an experience." This could only
signify that subconscious individual experience alone would serve as the source
of enlightenment about the meaning of dogmas. The latter, indeed, were to be
esteemed as nothing more than external stimuli, adaptable changing guides.
Truth, then, was merely an intrinsic phenomenon varying with individuals and
times, which bore merely an accidental relation to external phenomena or
reality. Since, according to Modernists, present-day experience must be unduly
strained to conform to antiquated dogmatic formulas, such as the Trinity and
the Divinity of Christ, such formulas, though remaining verbally the same,
might be reinterpreted in a new sense. For in Loisy's view, "these formulas
are not immutable, they are perfectible. All have responded to a need of the
Christian conscience, and consequently contain a moral sense which we must
extract when the symbol itself has become outmoded." In their place new
religious impulses will be substituted, emerging from the subconscious as a
"vital phenomenon."
Expression of modernist ideas can already be found in the Protestant
Sabatier's Esquisse d'une Philosophie de la Religion (1879). Blondel's
L'Action (1893) presented a novel theme, while Modernism was detected in La
Berthonnierre's Essais de Philosophie Religieuse (1903) and Le Realisme
Chretien et L'Idealisme Grec (1904). At the same time Abb'e Alfred Loisy
applied Modernism to biblical criticism in L'Evangile et L'Eglise (1902) and
Autour d'un Petit Livre (1903). Therein distinction was drawn between a
"Christ of history" and a "Christ of Faith": the former had no intention of
founding a Church, which is the product of the evolution of Christian
consciousness. French Modernism culminated in a notorious article, "What is
dogma?", written by Edouard Le Roy for the April, 1905, number of La Quinzaine.
Official formulas, it would seem, were issued merely to stimulate internal
religious inquiry. Meanwhile in England the Jesuit, George Tyrrell, was
developing Modernist theology. He had indeed studied St. Thomas superficially,
but the teaching of his Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi and Between Scylla and
Charybdis (1903-7) was no brand of Scholasticism. For Tyrrell, theology was
normative only insofar as it "formulates and justifies the devotion of the best
Catholics, and as far as it is true to the life of faith and charity as
actually lived." It Italy, Foggazaro tried to sketch in popular fashion bow
Modernism should be lived in his novel, Il Santo (1905). Here he predicted
that the moment was at hand when the Church would undergo revival under
Modernist auspices. At the same time Padre Murri sought applications of
Modernism in the social field. Most of these leaders belonged to a reputed
intelligentsia, but one uninfluenced by the budding Neo-Scholasticism-which
they derided as the dusting off of outworn weapons.
(2) CONDEMNATION OF MODERNISM
Preliminary censures. Pope Leo's Providentissimus Deus had been a rebuke to
biblical Modernism, and when Loisy failed to heed its norms he was deprived of
his professorship at the Institut Catholique at Paris. In 1903 five of Loisy's
books, together with others by Le Roy, Le Berthonniere, and Houtin, were placed
on the Index by a decree of the Holy Office. Finally on July 4, 1907, the Holy
Office in the decree Lamentabili proscribed sixty-five propositions, drawn
chiefly from Loisy, Le Roy, and Tyrrell, although these authors were not
superficially named. These propositions were all "reprobated and proscribed"
with papal approval.
Pascendi Dominici Gregis (1907). Modernist subtleties did not appeal to St.
Pius X, simple with the simplicity of Christ. As successor of him to whom the
"historical Christ" had said, "Feed my sheep," be issued on September 8, 1907,
an encyclical providing solid doctrinal food for the flock. Pascendi branded
Modernism as a "synthesis of all heresies," embracing Agnosticism, Immanentism,
and Evolutionism. its chief cause lay in ignorance of Scholasticism by men
deluded by the "false glamour' of modern philosophies. Curious to know more
than it behooves to know, inflated by the pride of modern science, these
persons were pushed on to novelties, "lest they appear as other men," saying
the traditional things. Whence their erroneous conclusions: Faith arises from
a need of the divine, a need perceived by a religious sense resident in the
subconscious, unaffected by dogmas. Tradition, therefore, they would term but
communication of the collective religious sense, successively "transfigured and
disfigured" during the course of centuries. Thereafter everything, Church,
sacraments, Scriptures, history, is warped to fit their varying subconscious
religious sense, their emotional "need of the divine," Dogmas vanish into mere
symbols; censures are disregarded as antiquated. All is "theological
symbolism."
Repression. The pope then laid down practical remedies to check Modernism:
(1) study of scholastic as well as positive theology; (2) exclusion from
seminaries and colleges of directors and professors in any way imbued with
Modernism; (3) episcopal vigilance committees to supervise publications and
clergy conferences, and to report to the bishop who in turn must periodically
inform the Holy See. These measures proved so effective that as early as 1909
Loisy admitted that Modernism was "doomed and would not be difficult to crush."
The leaders left the Church: Loisy, excommunicated by name in 1908, held
tenaciously to his views until his death in 1940. Tyrrell died in the Petrie
home in 1909, dubiously reconciled by Abb'e Bremond. Padre Murri was
excommunicated in 1909 but returned to the Church during the 1940's. Floods of
modernist pamphlets appeared and there were reports of clandestine agitation.
Pius X, who believed in taking no chances, issued on September 1, 1910, the
motu proprio, Sacrorum Antistitum, which imposed an "Oath Against Modernism,"
upon prelates, educators, and candidates for the subdiaconate. Criticism has
been beard in certain quarters that this provision is now obsolete, but Pius
XII in Humani Generis, August 12, 1950, still found it necessary to castigate
"some false opinions which threaten to undermine the foundations of Catholic
doctrine." At the time of Modernism, however, some suspicions were excessive,
even if it may not be true that Pope Benedict XV discovered in his
predecessor's desk a denunciation of himself, then archbishop of Bologna, as
suspected of Modernism.
Pax Christi, Pat
"For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but,
following their own desires, will surround themselves with teachers who tickle
their ears." (1 Tim. 4:3)