Modernism. In general, an exaggerated love of what is modern or novel. As a theological term, modernism designates the heresy, or rather the collection of errors, which rose in the Church at the beginning of the 20th century under the influence of men like Loisy (France), Tyrrel (England), and Buonaiuti (Italy). Under Pope Pius X, two famous documents were issued against modernism: (1) a decree of the Holy Office, Lamentabili, of July 3,1907, and (2) the encyclical Pascendi, of September 8, 1907. The former is a list of 65 condemned propositions of the modernists; the latter is an analysis of the theories of the modernists in contrast with the philosophy and doctrine of true Christianity.
Among the errors of the modernists’ teachings were the following: (1) it is impossible to prove the existence of a God distinct from the world. (2) “Revelation” is only a natural product of the subconscious, and dogma is only an expression of the subconscious, subject to continual evolution. (3) The Bible is not a divinely inspired book, and it ought to be studied the same way as any human book, which is likely to contain errors. (4) There is no need to reconcile science and faith. One may deny as a scientist what he believes as a Christian. (5) The divinity of Christ was not taught by the Gospels, but is the product of an evolution in Christian thinking over the centuries. (6) The idea of a redemptive value in the death of Christ originated with Saint Paul. (7) Christ instituted neither the Church nor the primacy of Peter. The present organization of the Church is purely the result of historical contingencies, and could be completely changed.
Modernism is an amalgam of verbal Catholicism and naturalistic rationalism. The modernists did not wish to abandon any of the traditional statements of Catholic teaching. But these statements were given a new rationalistic meaning. Pius X foresaw that modernism would lead to an abolition of all religion and gradually to atheism.
LAMENTABILI SANE
SYLLABUS CONDEMNING THE ERRORS OF THE MODERNISTS
Pius X, July 3, 1907
PASCENDI DOMINICI GREGIS
ENCYCLICAL ON THE DOCTRINE OF THE MODERNISTS
Pope Pius X, September 8, 1907
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius10/p10pasce.htm
The definition of modernism is an excerpt of The Catholic Dictionary, edited by Reverend John P. O’Connell, M.A.,S.T.D., p. 157. The Holy Bible. The Catholic Press, Inc. Chicago, Illinois. Copyright 1951.
Catholica Scriptor: The Catholic Writer 