Pascendi Dominici Gregis

Encyclical of Pope Pius X

On the Doctrines of the Modernists

This is a summary of Pascendi Dominici Gregis promulgated by Pope Pius X on September 8, 1907. It concerns “Modernist” teachings that started to circulate within the Catholic Church at that time, how to identify them, how they impact the faithful, and how to supress them. The original text can be found here and the paragraph numbers have been added in brackets below for quick cross-reference.

Introduction

  • The papacy has the great duty of guarding the deposit of the faith. [1]

  • There has never been lack of men promoting error; however, the number the enemies has increased exceedingly as of late. [1]

  • Thus We may no longer be silent, lest We seem to be forgetful and fail in our duty. [1]

Gravity of the Situation

  • Those seeking to teach error can now be found within the Church, both laity and clergy. [2]

  • They call themselves reformers and they teach false doctrines. [2]

  • They are surprised to be called enemies, but their danger is so great because they attempt to destroy the Church from within and so completely so. [3]

  • They portray themselves as rationalists, yet Catholic, and are crafty deceivers. [3]

  • They are often very active in the field of education and have reputations for strict morality. [3]

  • They disdain all authority and teach without restraint for “the love of truth”. [3]

  • At first We showed them kindness in hopes that they would amend, but had to resort to more severe treatment and now, reluctantly, to public reproof. Our efforts have been fruitless. [3]

  • They must now be exposed so as to protect the Catholic name.

Division of the Encyclical

  • We will first analyze their various methods of teaching as well as the errors themselves and their sources. [4]

  • Then We will prescribe remedies. [4]

Analysis of Modernist Teaching

  • Every Modernist has several personalities: philosopher, believer, theologian, historian, critic, apologist, and reformer. These roles must be clearly distinguished to understand their system and principles, as well as the consequences of their doctrines. [5]

  • Philosopher

    • Modernist thought was founded on the philosophy of Agnosticism, but has somehow progressed to full atheism (positive denial of God). [6]
    • This philosophy purports that human reason is strictly limited to phenomena, only that which can be sensed; thus God’s existance cannot be recognized directly in scientific or historical studies. [6]
    • Vatican I condemned the errors that negate Natural Theology (De Revel., can. I), divine external revelation (De Revel, can. 2) and motives of credibility (i.e. by external signs), thus reducing faith to personal internal experience or private inspiration (De Fide, can. 3). [6]
    • The Modernist explanation for religion is the principle of vital immanence, that is to say, that it comes from within the life of man. (c.f. Fideism) [7]
      • Religion must have an explanation, but if it cannot come from nature, revelation, or something external, then the only remaining option is that it come from within man, namely a movement of the heart they call sentiment.
      • Every vital phenomenon arises from a need or impulse, and in this case, faith (on which religion is predicated) is a sentiment that originates from a subconscious need for the divine.
      • History and science are bounded externally by the physical world and internally by human consciousness; anything outside these bounds cannot be known.
      • But as stated, faith comes from the subconscious, and as both object and cause, this sentiment is the reality of God, thus bringing God and man together.
    • Corollary: if the reality of God can be found within, there too is revelation. [8] Ergo:
      • All religions must be considered both natural and supernatural
      • Consciousness is of equal authority as divine revelation
    • The deformation of religious history is the consequence [9]:
      • This “unknowable” is only revealed in conjunction with a phenomenon.
      • The phenomenon connot be reconciled with normal laws of history.
      • Faith is attracted to the phenomenon and takes possession of it.
      • The phenomenon is transfigured, elevated beyond its true conditions.
      • The phenomenon is disfigured when taken out of context (place/time).
      • Example: anything that elevates the historical Christ must be rejected.
    • Thus, modernists claim that all religion comes from vital immanence, and that Catholicism is no exception, just the development of religious sentiment as a byproduct of human development. [10]
      • This is the teaching of some Catholics who wish to reform the Church.
      • This goes beyond man claiming a right to the supernatural order (c.f. The Fall), but a claim that religion (i.e. our relationship with the divine) isn’t supernatural at all, but natural.
      • Vatican I upheld: “If anyone says that man cannot be raised by God to a knowledge and perfection which surpasses nature, but that he can and should, by his own efforts and by a constant development, attain finally to the possession of all truth and good, let him be anathema” (De Revel., can. 3).
    • Modernists claim that dogmas originate from within via two formulae.
      • It is the role of the intellect to distinguish God from the sentiment. [11]
      • Thus, “the religious man must ponder his faith.” [11]
      • Twofold process (formulae): spontaneous simple expression followed by deep elaboration as propositions. [11]
      • Magisterial approval of these propositions result in dogma. [11]
      • The nature of a dogma depends on the formulae and the sentiment. [12]
      • The formulae only exist to reveal the faith to its believer. [12]
      • Thus, they stand between faith and beliver as symbols and instruments. [12]
    • This system requires the evolution of dogmas. [13]
      • This system does not allow for dogmas to express absolute truth.
      • Dogmas are relative to sentiment and the believer, and both can change.
      • Thus, dogmas (the formulae) must (not just can, but ought to) also evolve.
      • Governance of both formulae must be given to the heart.
      • Thus, modernists disregard traditional dogmas as no longer relevant.

  • Believer: Individual Experience and Religious Certitude

    • Religious Experience and Tradition

    • Faith and Science

    • Faith Subject to Science

    • The Methods of Modernists

  • Theologian: His Principles, Immanence and Symbolism

    • Dogma and the Sacraments

    • The Holy Scriptures

    • The Church

    • The Relations Between Church and State

    • The Magisterium of the Church

    • The Evolution of Doctrine

  • Historian and Critic

    • Criticism and its Principles

    • How the Bible is Dealt With

  • Apologist

    • Subjective Arguments

  • Reformer

  • Modernism and All the Heresies

The Cause of Modernism

  • abc

  • Methods of Propagandism

Remedies

  • The Study of Scholastic Philosophy

  • Practical Application

  • Episcopal Vigilance Over Publications

  • Censorship

    • Priests as Editors

  • Congresses

  • Diocesan Watch Committees

  • Triennial Returns