Modern History Sourcebook:
The Oath Against Modernism (Sacrorum antistitum), 1910
Given by His Holiness St. Pius X September 1, 1910. ++ To be sworn to by all clergy, pastors, confessors, preachers, religious superiors, and
professors in philosophical-theological seminaries. I . . . . firmly embrace and accept each and every definition that has been set forth
and declared by the unerring teaching authority of the Church, especially those principal
truths which are directly opposed to the errors of this day. And first of all, I profess that God, the origin and end of all things, can be known
with certainty by the natural light of reason from the created world (see Rom. 1:90), that
is, from the visible works of creation, as a cause from its effects, and that, therefore,
his existence can also be demonstrated. Secondly, I accept and acknowledge the external proofs of revelation, that is, divine
acts and especially miracles and prophecies as the surest signs of the divine origin of
the Christian religion and I hold that these same proofs are well adapted to the
understanding of all eras and all men, even of this time. Thirdly, I believe with equally firm faith that the Church, the guardian and teacher of
the revealed word, was personally instituted by the real and historical Christ when he
lived among us, and that the Church was built upon Peter, the prince of the apostolic
hierarchy, and his successors for the duration of time. Fourthly, I sincerely hold that the doctrine of faith was handed down to us from the
apostles through the orthodox Fathers in exactly the same meaning and always in the same
purport. Therefore, I entirely reject the heretical' misrepresentation that dogmas evolve
and change from one meaning to another different from the one which the Church held
previously. I also condemn every error according to which, in place of the divine deposit
which has been given to the spouse of Christ to be carefully guarded by her, there is put
a philosophical figment or product of a human conscience that has gradually been developed
by human effort and will continue to develop indefinitely. Fifthly, I hold with certainty and sincerely confess that faith is not a blind
sentiment of religion welling up from the depths of the subconscious under the impulse of
the heart and the motion of a will trained to morality; but faith is a genuine assent of
the intellect to truth received by hearing from an external source. By this assent,
because of the authority of the supremely truthful God, we believe to be true that which
has been revealed and attested to by a personal God, our creator and Lord. Furthermore, with due reverence, I submit and adhere with my whole heart to the
condemnations, declarations, and all the prescripts contained in the encyclical Pascendi
and in the decree Lamentabili, especially those concerning what is known as the history of
dogmas. I also reject the error of those who say that the faith held by the Church can
contradict history, and that Catholic dogmas, in the sense in which they are now
understood, are irreconcilable with a more realistic view of the origins of the Christian
religion. I also condemn and reject the opinion of those who say that a well-educated Christian
assumes a dual personality-that of a believer and at the same time of a historian, as if
it were permissible for a historian to hold things that contradict the faith of the
believer, or to establish premises which, provided there be no direct denial of dogmas,
would lead to the conclusion that dogmas are either false or doubtful. Likewise, I reject that method of judging and interpreting Sacred Scripture which,
departing from the tradition of the Church, the analogy of faith, and the norms of the
Apostolic See, embraces the misrepresentations of the rationalists and with no prudence or
restraint adopts textual criticism as the one and supreme norm. Furthermore, I reject the opinion of those who hold that a professor lecturing or
writing on a historico-theological subject should first put aside any preconceived opinion
about the supernatural origin of Catholic tradition or about the divine promise of help to
preserve all revealed truth forever; and that they should then interpret the writings of
each of the Fathers solely by scientific principles, excluding all sacred authority, and
with the same liberty of judgment that is common in the investigation of all ordinary
historical documents. Finally, I declare that I am completely opposed to the error of the modernists who hold
that there is nothing divine in sacred tradition; or what is far worse, say that there is,
but in a pantheistic sense, with the result that there would remain nothing but this plain
simple fact-one to be put on a par with the ordinary facts of history-the fact, namely,
that a group of men by their own labor, skill, and talent have continued through
subsequent ages a school begun by Christ and his apostles. I promise that I shall keep all these articles faithfully, entirely, and sincerely, and
guard them inviolate, in no way deviating from them in teaching or in any way in word or
in writing. Thus I promise, this I swear, so help me God, and these holy Gospels of God
which I touch with my hand. May God help us to keep this oath until death. Pray for the Restoration to come.
Source:
This text is part of the Internet
Modern History Sourcebook. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and
copy-permitted texts for introductory level classes in modern European and World history.
Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright.
Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational
purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No
permission is granted for commercial use of the Sourcebook.
© Paul Halsall, January 1999
halsall@fordham.edu
|
