Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-05
ERRORS IN DOCTRINE
Catholic Inquisition Issues a
List of Sixty-Five.
RELIGION AGAINST SCIENCE
Inspiration of the Scriptures and Reve-
lation Are Upheld.
CHURCH BIBLES INTERPRETER
Modern Liberal Movement Opposed
and Catholic Dogma Declared to
Be Interchangeable.
CHURCH BIBLES INTERPRETER

Be Interchangeable.
| Sixty-f1ve heresies against the doctrine
! Of the Roman Catholic Church are cata-
! logued in a syllabus promulgated July II
by Pope Plus x. The decree Is issued
| from the holy and universal inquisition"
at Rome, commonly known as the holy Of
fee" and. unlike the reprOval of social,
political and doctrinal errors put forth by
Pope Plus TX in 1864, it Is signed only by
the notary of the inquisiton
Clearness is the noteworthy feature of
| the syllabus, which deals with matters pure
ly theological. Errors are condemned, but
without criticism or comment.
In form the syllabus would be mis'ead
ing to one who began to read the sections
without the preamble, for the errors are
listed as SUCH being condemned and pro-
scribed a whole in the paragraph which
precedes the catalogue.
The chief point urged is that the inter-
probation of the Bible is not a purely scien-
ti1c matter, but one belonging exclusively
to the Catholic Church. Eleven errors with
regard to the inspiration of the Bible are
denounced; seven relate to revelation and
dogma, nine to the divinity of Christ, seven
teen to the resurrection. the institution Of
the sacraments and the foundation of the
church, and the twelve last are aimed
against the modern liberal movement, con-
tending that the church need not alter as
the worlds standard Of knowledge changes.
The full test Of the syllabus follows:
Text Of the Decree.
Decree Of the Holy Roman and Universal
1nQuisition.
Wednesday. July 8. 1907.
With truly lamentable results our age, in
tolerant of all check in Its Investigations Of
the ultimate causes Of things, not infre-
Quently follows what is new in such way
as to reject the legacy, 1t were, Of the
| human race and thus fall into the most
grievous errors. These errors will be all
the more pernicious when they affect dis
ctplines, the Interpretation of the Sacred
Scripture, the principal mysteries OF the
faith. 1t is to be greatly deplored that among
Catholics also not a few writer's are to be
found who crossing the boundaries fixed
by the fathers and by the church herself
seek out, on the plea of higher intelligence
| and in the name of historical considerations,
that progress of dogmas which is in reality
the corruption Of the same
But lest errors Of this kind, which are be-
ing daily spread among the faithful should
strike root in their minds and corrupt the
purity of the faith, 1t has pleased his holi-
ness Piux, by Divine Providence pope, that
the chief among them should be noted and
condemned through the Office of the holy
Roman and universal inquisition Where
fore, after a most diligent investigation and
after having heard the vote (opinion) Of the
reverend consultors the most eminent and
reverend lords cardinals, the general in
quisitors in matters of faith and morals,
decided that the following propositions were
to be condemned and prescribed, as they
are by this general decree condemned and
prescribed:
/. The ecclesiastical law which prescribes
that books regarding the Divine Scriptures
are subject to previous censorship does not
extend to critical scholars or students Of
the scientific exegis of the Old and New
.Testaments.
2 The churchs Interpretation of the
sacred books Is not intended to be despised,
but it is subject to the more accurate Judg-
ment and to the correction of the exegetes.
Church and History.
g. From the ecclesiastical judgments and
censures passed against free and more
scientific exegesis, 1t may be gathered that
the faith proposed by the church contra
diets history and that the Catholic dogmas
cannot really be reconciled with the true
origins of the Christian religion.
4. The magisterium of the church cannot,
even through dogmatic definitions. establish
the genuine sense of the Sacred Scriptures.
B. Since in the deposit Of the faith ONLY
revealed truths are contained, under no
respect does 1t appertain tc the church to
pass judgment concerning the assertions
of human sciences.
@. In defining truths the church learning
and the church teaching colaborate in such
manner that it only remains for the
church teaching to sanction the opinion of
the church learning.
Z. The church when 1t prescribes errors
cannot exact from the faithful any internal
assent by which the Judgments issued by
her embraced.
g. Those who treat Of no weight the
concentrations passed by the Sacred
Congregation of the Index or by other
Roman congregations are free from all
blame.
g. Those who believe that God is really
the author Of the Sacred Scripture display
excessive simplicity or ignorance.
10. The inspiration of the books OF the
Old Testament consists in the fact that
the Israelite writer's have handed down
religious doctrines under peculiar aspect,
either little or not at all known to the
Gentiles
II. Divine inspiration Is not to be ex-
tended to the whole Sacred Scripture so as
to render its parts, all and SINGLE immune
from all error.
12 The exegete If he wishes to apply
himself usefully to biblical studies must
first OF all put aside all preconceived opin-
ions concerning the supernatural origin Of
the Sacred Scripture and interpret It not \
differently from other merely human docu-
ments
Evangelical Parallels.
49, The evangelists themselves and the
Christians Of the second and third genera
tons arranged artifcally the evangelical
parallels, and in this way gave an explana-
ton OF the scanty fruit Of the preaching
OF Christ among the Jews.
H. In a great many accounts the evange-
lists reported not SO much things that are
true as things which even though false they
judged to be more profitable for their
readers.
IT, The Gospels until the time when the
canon was defined and constituted were
Increased by additions and corrections |
hence only a faint and uncertain trace
remained in them OF the doctrine of Christ |
49, The variations Of John are not prop
erly history. but the mystical contemplation
Of the Gospel; the discourses contained in
his Gospel are theological meditatons, de- |
void Of historical truth concerning the mys-
terry Of salvation.
IT, The Fourth Gospel exaggerated mir
acles not only that the wonderful might
stand out, but also that they might be- |
come more suitable for signifying the work
and the glory Of the Word Incarnate.
49, John claims for himself the quality of
a witness concerning Christ. but In reality
he is only distinguished witness of the
Christian life. or Of the life OF Christ in the
church. at the close OF the first century
10. HeterodOY have AYpreaca6