For the Modernist, however, man’s salvation lies not in conversion, not in being drawn upwards to God ; but rather in “fostering all that is truly human”, so that through “dialogue” and mutual sharing of human experience we might evolve into the fullness of human maturity which somehow is identified with Christ. In its extreme form, such an attitude simply degenerates into full-blown pantheism (as in the writings of Teilhard De Chardin). In more moderate forms, it comes to us in the form of such movements as Christian Phenomenalism, or the Integral Humanism of Jacques Maritain. The really disturbing and seductive thing about the writings and teachings of Modernists is that they offer an apparently acceptable fusion of orthodoxy and heresy. Pope Pius X points out in Pascendi
http://waragainstbeing.com/parti/article1/
Science and The Philosophy of Deceit
In its extreme form, such an attitude simply degenerates into full-blown pantheism (as in the writings of Teilhard De Chardin). .
http://waragainstbeing.com/parti/article1/
For the Modernist, however, man’s salvation lies not in conversion, not in being drawn upwards to God ; but rather in “fostering all that is truly human”, so that through “dialogue” and mutual sharing of human experience we might evolve into the fullness of human maturity which somehow is identified with Christ. In its extreme form, such an attitude simply degenerates into full-blown pantheism (as in the writings of Teilhard De Chardin). In more moderate forms, it comes to us in the form of such movements as Christian Phenomenalism, or the Integral Humanism of Jacques Maritain. The really disturbing and seductive thing about the writings and teachings of Modernists is that they offer an apparently acceptable fusion of orthodoxy and heresy. Pope Pius X points out in Pascendi that in the same work by a Modernist scholar one page can be found to be totally orthodox in formulation, and the next heretical. One of the “first principles” of Thomistic Metaphysics – the “Principle of the Excluded Middle” no longer holds. A Truth can now both be and not be. Dogma or doctrine can be, in the sense that it is a current formulation of the truth understood by the evolving human consciousness. The same dogma or doctrine can also not be, in the sense that we are evolving out of it into a fuller understanding of reality and God. Truth is really a dialectical process – from “be” to “not be” to “new be” – from thesis, to antithesis, to synthesis. This is why the Modernist can seem like such a humane and loving fellow, and the traditional Catholic so rigid and uncompassionate. The former can truly accept the position of the latter. The Catholic however, can in no way accept the position of the Modernist. In so doing, He would be denying the very Being of God, and also the being of his own nature.
We have already mentioned the wonderful encyclical written by Pope Pius XI (1922-1939) on The Kingship of Christ, and we have quoted a very important passage from it. We have also quoted from his encyclical Studiorum Ducem, on St. Thomas. We shall simply offer one more short passage: “Again, if we are to avoid the errors which are the source and fountain-head of all the miseries of our time, the teaching of Aquinas must be adhered to more religiously than ever. For Thomas refutes the theories propounded by Modernists in every sphere….” Sufficient to say that the study of St. Thomas has been virtually extinct in our seminaries since Vatican Council II.
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