The Washington herald., 1907-08-05
Papal Document Most I'M
pOrtant Since 1864.
CITES IS ERRORS OF DOCTRINE
and Prescriptions Are
Formulated from the Writings OF
Modern Catholics by the Pope.
Part Concerns Revelations and
Dogma of the Ancient Church.

/ eagerly awaiting the text of the new
! Papal Syllabus. the Decree of the Holy
and Universal Inquisition." promulgated
/ by Plus X on July II. Not since 1864,
when Plus TX issued a syllabus on social
and political as well as doetrinal errors
has a document so important emanated
from Rome.
/ The full text Of the new syllabus is
given below The translation is made. 1t
should be noted from a French version
OF the document prepared for the Paris
/ Univers.
Roughly analyzed, the first eight arti-
cles of the decree relate to the obedience
of Catholic to ecclesiastical authority
/ in all questions regarding scientific re-
/ search. There then follow the denuncia-
! ton of eleven errors with regard 10 the
inspiration of the Scripture, of which
article II may be chiefly noted, attacking
/ the doctrine that the belief in divine in
spiration need not be applied to the whole
Of the Holy Writ to the extent Of believ-
| ing every portion of il free from error
In these is also combated the theory as
60 the mystic rather than historic charac-
ter Of the Fourth Gospel (article lGl.
The next seven errors relate TO revela-
tion and the dogmas of the church; such
as that revelation did not come to COM
pletion with the Apostles (article 2D; that
dogmas which the church upholds as rev.
elation did not come from heaven, but
are the Interpretation of facts by human
Intelligence (article %.
Articles 27-35 relate to the divinity OF
Christ Among them may be noted the
hTst erroT-that the divinity of Jesus
Christ is not proved by the gospels, but
is dogma which the Christian conscience
has deduced from the notion of Messiah.
The following articles (Ss-52) deal with er-
rors regarding the resurrection Of Christ
the institution Of the sacraments, and the
foundation of the church.
The Last Twelve.
The last twelve articles (5S-65) are the
most notable, as they are evidently the
most directly aimed against the modern
liberal movement. Cart. 52)-It is an error
to say that the constitution of the church
is not immutable and that Christianity is
subject 10 the same constant evolution
as human society. (Art SIT is an er
ror 10 say that truth is not more immu-
table than man himself in that It changes
with him. in him. and through him; (Art.
CD. that the Apostles Greed had not the
same significance for the early Christians
as for the Christians OF our own time,
(Art ca. that the progress of the
sciences requires a change in the Chris
tlan doctrinal conceptions of uod. of the
creation, OF revelation. of the word in
caTnate, and OF the redemption: Cart. 65),
that Catholicism of to-day cannot be
reconciIed with true science unless Il Is
transformed into a kind OF undogmatic
Christianty-that is 10 say into a broad
and liberal Professionalism.
II should constantly be kept IN mind.
while reading the decree. that every arti-
Gle is a statement. not Of a Catholic be-
lief but OF an opinion which the decree
formulates in order to 'reprove and pro-
scribe" IT,
The Decree in Full.
1t Is the misfortune Of our time, too
much inclined, in its impatience of every
yoke. TO attach itself. in its search for
ultimate truths, to novelties, and IN some
degree abandoning the inheritance Of hu-
manity, to fan into the grayest errors.
II is above all deplorable that even
Catholic writer's are found in some num-
Der who, going beyond the limits marked
by the fathers and the church herself.
devote themselves, on the pretext of
higher criticism and in the name of his
torical reason, TO searching for a pre-
tended progress Of dogma which in reality
is nothing but It's reformation.
But in order that such errors. which are
being extended more and more among
the faithful, should not implant them
selves in their souls, nor alter the purity
Of their faith, 1t has seemed well to his
holiness. Plus X, by Divine Providence,
Pope, to cause the principal among them
to be noted and reproved. through the
ministry of tho holy and universal inqui-
sition.
In consequence, after profound exam.
ination and upon the advice of the rever-
end consultatOrs, the most eminent and
most reverend the cardinals, induisitors
general, in matters OF faith and of morals.
have adjudged that It is expedient TO re-
prove and TO prescribe the following
propositions, as they are reproved and
prescribed by the present general decree:
Details of the List.
I. The ecclesiastical law which pre-
scribed that the books concerning the
Divine Scriptures should be submitted to
a previous censorship. does not apply 10
those who give themselves 10 criticism
and to scientific exegesis of the books OF
the Old and the New Testaments.
II. The Interpretation of the Holy
Books by the church is not TO be dis
dained, but 1t is subordinate to the in
vestigating judgment and to the correc-
ton Of the eXegetes.
Ill From the judgments and the &C.
clesiastical censures carried out against
free and high eXegesis ii may be inferred
that the faith propounded by the church
is in contradiction to history, and that
the Catholic dOgmas are irrecOncilable
with the true origins Of the Christian re-
lgion.
". The authorities Of the church can
not determine by dOgmatic definitions the
proper sense Of the Holy Scriptures
Y. As the revealed truth only is CON-
tained in the deposit Of faith il does not
In any way appertain TO the church to
pronounce judgment on the assertions of
the human sciences.
VI. In the definition of the truths Of
faith, the church discens and the church
dozens cOlldbOrate in such a way that
vote Of the latter contents itself with the
sanctioning OF the general opinion of the
former.
VII. The church, when 1t prescribes er-
rors, cannot exact OF the faithful their
inner assent TO the judgments pronounced
by her.
VIII Those who do not consider the
condemnations pronounced by the con-
gregation of the index ard other Roman
congregations must be deemed exempt
Of all fault
Question of Authorship.
TX. Those who believe that God is in
truth the author OF the Holy Scriptures
show too great simplicity or Ignorance.
\. The inspiration of the books OF the
Old Testament consists in the fact that
the Israel:tic writer's transmitted re-