New-York tribune., 1902-02-01
THE popE's BIBLICAL conuIsSIoN,

THE POPE'S BIBLICAL COMMISSION.
So far as Biblical scholarship is concerned the
recent appointment by the Pope of Biblical
commission has no significance While as
might be expected the members of the commits
sion are scholarly men. they are not Biblical
scholars in the modern scientific meaning of the
word Neither by knowledge, training nor tenn
perament are they qualified TO pass Judgment
on the many questions raised by modern Bib
ical study and investigation But even if they
were the equals in this respect of the great
Biblical scholars of the day, such as Professors
Gunkel and Winkler, of Germany: kuenan, of
Holland; Cheyne and Driver, of England, or
Briggs and Moore, of this country. they could
not as loyal Catholics approach the study of the
Bible with open and unbiased minds The
commission, indeed, is not appointed to do any
such work. 1t need not concern itself, for in
stance with the historical evidence on which is
based the assumption of scholars that much of
the Old Testament is legendary and mythical.
All that it will have to do is to decide whether
such a conclusion can be harmOniZed with Cath
olic theology. The truth of the Churchs teach
ing concerning the Bible must he an a priori
assumption, and no amount of evidence such as
would decide any other historical question could
for a moment weigh against the voice Of the
Church, diviney guided to pronounce upon all
such questions. Therefore the inference in some
quarters that the appointment of the commits
sion is a recognition by the Pope of the claims
of modern Biblical criticism is hasty and with
out foundation. 1t is rather a declaration that
those claims however authenticated, must
finally be reviewed by the Church.
In another way the action of the Pope Is note
worthy. 1t shows that the issues raised by Bib
lical scholarship are disturbing the Roman
Church as well as Professionalism Theoretically,
perhaps, this ought not to be so. For the
Church has clearly defined its attitude in regard
TO nearly all the Biblical questions which
to-day arousing controversy; and even If some
particular point has not been formally deter
mined. Catholics who are in doubt should go 10
the Church and not to non-Catholic critics for
enlightenment. Nevertheless. it appears that a
progressive element has arisen in the Church
which antagoniZes the accepted view that every
word in the Bible is dvnely inspired. This ele-
ment holds that, without touching any funda-
mental doctrine, the Church might wisely per-
nit the view that the Bible is only inspired in
its utterances concerning faith and morals. In
harmony with this attitude French Dominican
Is declared recently to have questioned the
literal Interpretation Of the Biblical account of
the creation. Another French ecclesiastic, the
Abb6 Loisy, has taken such advanced ground in
regard to the Bible that MonsignOr P6chenard
and others have been trying to bring about his
condemnation by the Congregation of the In
dex. But thus far these efforts have failed and
II is even said by the Rome correspondent Of
"The London Morning Post" that the Pope
who was formerly on the side of the conserya-
tiveS, is now inclined to favor the liberals to
the extent Of giving them fair hearing This
indeed, would be plausible explanation of his
appointment Of the Biblical commission The
submission of all such questions to the commits
sion would in way compromise the position
Of the Church, while It would deprive the lib
erals of the right to say that they had been CON
demned unheard.
As TO what the commission will do. past ex-
perience is against the theory that II will favor
any greater latitude In the Interpretation of the
Bible. The Church dislkes Innovations while
it is consistently opposed 10 any course that
would weaken the ancient traditions Nothing
is more certain than that the traditions of the
Church are in conflict with many OF the conclu-
sions Of modern Biblical scholarship. It is even
possible that the decisions OF the commission
may furnish new weapons 10 the conservatives
in their war against liberalism and force the
minimizers of Biblical Interpretation either to
retract their errors or leave the Church.