The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-10-29


OF clergymen of different denomina-
tons. Among the responses were the
following from Most Rev. John NJ. Far
ley, Rev. A. p. Doyle, c. S. P, and Rev.
DR.. II. a. Brann of New York.
First we give Mgr. Farley's opinion:
Sound criticism of the Bible, confin-
ing itself to the scientific facts and So
Der differences. is not prejudicial to
higher religious thought and duty. In
confirmation of this the majority Of
those who have applied themselves most
assiduously to the modern scientific
study of the Bible are distinguished
members of the clergy, regular as we'll
as secular. | am not aware that higher
criticism has to any appreciable extent
produced in ranks of the Catholic laity
those undermining effects which causes
alarm in some other religious bodies.
Rather, il has served to comfort and re-
assure many earnest believers to whose
thoughtful minds certain received no
tons concerning the Bible had become
of difficult acceptance. Questions per-
tanning to the topic are never discussed
in the pulpit and but seldom touched
upon in Catholic periodicals.: for. ac-
cording to Catholic belief. Holy Scrip
ture is not the exclusive vehicle of
Gods revelation to man, the sole auth
held in a true, yet underlined and mys-
FERROUS sense to be the word of God,
it is not considered as a direct and inn
mediate rule of faith. Gods dealings
with man are primarily through the
medium of an organized living body,
and the sacred writings, however pre-
CioUs. are relatively TO the living
Church only incidental
Father Doyle's Response,
in considering the influence of higher
criticism on the devotional life of the
people in America il is very necessary
accurately to define terms. There has
been great deal of destructive iCriti-
cism inspired by writer's who are ad-
verse to all religious belief, and these
writer's have entered the sanctuary of
reverential faith in the spirit of van
dal, They have cut and Slashed and
destroyed every precious heirloom with
ing reach. They have hauled down
from their ancient shrines the times
honored beliefs of the people and have
trampled them under foot. Because
some beliefs have been found to be of
clay they have generalf1ed and have
said that the whole show was sham
Such criticism has injured the cause
of Biblical learning far more than it has
the faith Of the people.
There is, however, another school of
higher criticism that has approached
the sacred edifice of Biblical story and
tradition with barred feet and with I'M
covered head. These higher critics
are conservative men, seekers for the
truth. There is undoubtedly a vast
amount of fallacy and fable that has
adhered TO the framework of Christian
belief, and the sooner the people find
out what is fallacy and fable the
better for their religious life. Relig-
ion cannot afford to rest on anything
but the rock bed of truth. The ladder
that rests on the snowbank will topple
when the warm summer comes. There
are no greater benefactors than higher
critics who are earnest seekers for the
truth. who stand for conservatism and
belief and who viii not yield
one ieta of what has been handed down
until the demonstration of it's fallaci-
BUSINESS is, complete.
To meet this condition of affairs the
Catholic Biblical Commission has been
esta blished. On this commission are all
the great Catholic Biblical scholars.
Their business is to stimulate eXegeti-
cal studies in line with all recent
scientific research and discovery, to
Judge controverted questions when
necessary among Catholics and to give
answer to aIhthroughout the world who
may consult the inquisition. =
DR.. Brann's Reply. 4
The SOL called higher criticism of the
Bible does not affect either the clergy
or laity of the Catholic Church, for the
reason that we start from the strong
hold of the Church first and proceed
thence to matters concerning the sa-
cred book The Church antedates the
Bible, and when the Church gave us the
book it also gave us certain assurances
and fixed factors regarding it. For in
stance it bids us assume without any
shadow of question that there is a
natural law and a supernatural law,
that the miracles were performed be-
yond all doubt or caVil, that the words
Of God came to man and still do so in
the form of a divine revelation, and
there can be no cause for hesitancy in
accepting divine inspiration fully and
Starting out with these
premises it is no wonder we arrive at
at once satisfying and
edifying in the highest degree.
AS for the minor criticism, there is
as much in the Church now as there
ever was, and no more. Learned pro-
essors of theology differ very widely
upon many points of Interpretation.
egend history and authenticity of
books and part of books. Legi-
innate investigation is always encour-
aged, and any person who can bring
lew light upon obscure points Of history
II doctrine is listened to with respect
III gratitude. What we believe highly
)rejudicial to the Church as a fixed
institution founded and perpetuated for
he uplifting of the human race is
aking its vital and fundamental eX-
lunent. the Holy Scriptures, and dis
ecting them from the exterior point of
lew. inst as if they were merely a
nan-made. book. like the works of Dan
e or the miracle plays of the elder
: Would he not be regarded
Is an unjust Judge who considered a
prisoner as guilty until some one proved
lin innocent? That is what the higher
rites would do with the Bible-start
mt with the assumption that ii is the
product of human genius alone and
hen proceed TO prove it divine inspir- |
Ition if they can. which. alas, they
lever do. To start out with accepting
IS divine inspiration and proceed with !
ur minor criticisms from the inner |
,oint Of view is our stronghold, and it f,
caves faith safe from all the assaults |
f secular Investigation.
Restitution Through Confessional.
Here IS a news item of kind that
hould not be overlooked by the critics |
f that most "a bused and misrepresent- |
4 t,.inuDaT--thp confessional.