The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-08-24
The Press and the SYLLABUS.

The New York Times gives the fol-
lowing brief resume and analysis of the
syllabus of PiUS X:
Roughly analysed the first eight ar
ticles of the decree relate to the obedi-
dence Of a Catholic to ecclesiastical au-
thority in ais questions regarding scien-
tific research. There then follow the
denunciation of eleven errors with re-
gard to the inspiration of the Scripture,
of which article IL may be chiefly
noted. attacking the doctrine that the
belief in divine inspiration need not be
applied to the whole of the Holy Writ
to the extent of believing every portion
Of it free from error. In these is also
cOmbated the theory as to the mystic
rather than historic character of the
Fourth Gospel (article 49,. The next
seven errors relate to revelation and
the dogmaS of the church: such as that
revelation did not come to completion
with the Apostles (article 2D; that
dogmas which the church upholds as
revelation do not come from Heaven,
but are the Interpretation of facts by
human intelligence (article 22).
Articles 27-35 relate to the Divinity
of Christ. Among them may be noted
the first error-that the Divinity of
Jesus Christ is not proved by the Cos
pels, but is a dogma which the Chris
notion of a Messiah. The following ar
ticles (36-52) deal with errors regard
ing the resurrection of Christ the insti-
ttuion of the sacraments and the foun-
datiOn of the church.
The last twelve articles (53-65) are
the most notable as they are evidently
the most directly aimed against the
modern liberal movement. article SO
1t is an error to say that the consti-
3 r1,T IL
and that Christianity is subject to the
same constant evolution as human So
ciety. (Article 5S)-It is an error to say
that truth is not more immutable than
man himself, in that it changes with
him, in him, and through him. (Arti-
Gle 62)-That the Apostles Greed had
not the same significance for the early
Christians as for the Christians of our
own time. (Article 64l-That the prog
ress of the sciences require a change in
the Christian doctrinal conceptions of
God, Of the Creation. of Revelation, of
the Word Incarnate, and of the Re-
demptiOn (Article 65)-That Catholi-
cism of today cannot be reconciled with
true science unless il is transformed
into a kind of undogmatic Christianity
that is to say, into a broad and lib
eral Professionalism.
1t should occasionally be kept in
mind. while reading the decree, that
every article is a statement, not Of
Catholic belief, but of an opinion which
the decree formulates in order to re
prove and prescribe" it.
The New York Sun comments as fol-
lows on the syllabus:
This syllabus has not so far excited
considerable comment. 1t was remarked
that the decree was signed only by the
Notary of the Holy Office, unlike the
last syllabus of Plus TX, which was
published in 1864, together with an en-
cyclical letter known as "Quanta Vera.
Economically the difference between the
two documents is one of form only. The
Osservatore Romano, the official organ
Of the Vatican, in an article published
recently. entitled Faith and Modern
Sciencei" does not analyze the PROPOSE
tions condemned by the syllabus, but
attacks in general terms the so-called
1Yo5ernists In the course of centuries.
If saws. human science. backed by pride
and vanity has cared to lift its tongue
more than once up to the Throne of
Cod and Of the church, almost claiming
an explanation Of divine mysteries, of
The consistency Of revelation, of the
legitimacy and entity of the apostolic
function of Peter, AMI of the doctrines
divinely taught. and seeking an annul-
Inent or a modification of the dogmas
and disciples of the church. Every
century had Z heresy, and the church
10 every assault offered resistance and
registered in the pages of history as
many triumphs as she had battles.
Dogma has never been shaken. An
institution that has never changed its