Catholicism contending with modernity : Roman Catholic modernism and anti-modernism in historical context

This 2000 book is a case study in the ongoing struggle of Christianity to define its relationship to modernity, examining representative Roman Catholic Modernists and anti-Modernists, exploring their relationship to their own historical context. Its aim is to counteract the tendency to lift the proposals made by the Modernists out of their setting and define them as a coherent, timeless philosophical/theological outlook, which should be avoided. The book seeks to correct the proclivity of some contemporary proponents of Modernist ideas to de-contextualize those ideas and recommend their endorsement without a critical reconsideration of historical changes. It sketches the nineteenth-century background of the Modernist crisis, identifying the problems that the church was facing at the beginning of the twentieth century; and offers a fresh perspective on the Modernist crisis, a perspective arising from the pioneering work undertaken by the Roman Catholic Modernism Working Group of the American Academy of Religion. This Book Is A Case Study In The Ongoing Struggle Of Christianity To Define Its Relationship To Modernity, Examining Representative Roman Catholic Modernists And Anti-modernists, Exploring Their Relationship To Their Own Historical Context. Its Aim Is To Counteract The Tendency To Lift The Proposals Made By The Modernists Out Of Their Setting And Define Them As A Coherent, Timeless Philosophical/theological Outlook, Which Should Be Avoided. The Book Seeks Also To Correct The Proclivity Of Some Contemporary Proponents Of Modernist Ideas To De-contextualize Those Ideas And Recommend Their Endorsement Without A Critical Reconsideration Of Historical Changes. It Sketches The Nineteenth-century Background Of The Modernist Crisis, Identifying The Problems That The Church Was Facing At The Beginning Of The Twentieth Century; And Offers A Fresh Perspective On The Modernist Crisis, A Perspective Arising From The Pioneering Work Undertaken By The Roman Catholic Modernism Working Group Of The American Academy Of Religion.--book Jacket. Introduction 1. The Modernist Crisis / Darrell Jodock -- Introduction 2. The Modernists And The Anti-modernists / Darrell Jodock -- Pt. 1. The Late Nineteenth-century Setting Of Modernism And Anti-modernism. Vatican Foreign Policy And The Origins Of Modernism / Gary Lease. Catholic Anti-modernism: The Ecclesial Setting / Paul Misner. Theological And Philosophical Modernism / Gabriel Daly -- Pt. 2. Maurice Blondel And Alfred Loisy In France. Seeking Transcendence In The Modern World / Phyllis H. Kaminski. Blondel's Action And The Problem Of The University / George H. Tavard. The Politics Of Loisy's Modernist Theology / Harvey Hill. Innovation And Biblical Interpretation / C.j.t. Talar -- Pt. 3. Friedrich Von Hügel And Maude Petre In England. The Modernist As Mystic / Lawrence Barmann. English Catholicism And Modernism / Ellen M. Leonard -- Pt. 4. Social Modernism And Anti-modernism In France. Social Modernism: The Case Of The Semaines Sociales / Peter Bernardi. Anti-modernism And The Elective Affinity Between Politics And Philosophy / Michael J. Kerlin -- Conclusion / Darrell Jodock. Edited By Darrell Jodock. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Pope Pius X condemned "Modernism" and established stringent measures to keep it from reappearing. By "Modernism" he meant any view that considered Catholic doctrine and church structure to be the product of gradual development and any view that recommended reform on that basis. Modernists challenged neoscholastic theology, which viewed the world as essentially unchanging. This book investigates the issues -- diplomacy, public education, separation of church and state, social reform, and the place of theology in the curriculum of the university -- that influenced the thinking of Modernists and anti-Modernists. Consalvi, Antonelli, Rampolla: one could write a fascinating and rich history of nineteenth-century Europe through the eyes, and above all the work, of the Vatican's secretaries of state.