Tapsearch Com EditorModern Heresies Part 2
May 27th 2009 17:17
This continues our review of heresies affecting our modern times. It is based on notes from Father McQuade SJ , JCU Modern Heresy course.
Before beginning the review of particular heresies, it is important to make more distinctions about our exploration. Here are the priniciples involved in our study.
The intellect can not be blamed as the agent for heresies. The natural object of the intellect is truth
The intellect and faith can not contradict one another. There is never any contradiction between the conclusions of the mind and the demands of faith. The truths of faith sometimes go farther than the conclusion of the mind but faith can never demand that the mind of man assent to what it clearly sees to be impossible. As with philosophy, the intellect can bring you to the door of faith but you must knock for the Lord to open the door to everlasting truth since you are knocking on the door of Perfect Love that is impossible to attain in this life as created beings. We need to return to the source of our creation.
With this in mind, we explore our subjects of heresy with a mental attitude that is calm, assured and curious. We shall find enough to satisfy the natural curiousity of our minds as the what others believe and why they believe them.
After all is said and done, these men are wrong, even though they have a mind that of itself is infallible. All heresy seems to have its roots in poorly controlled emotional reaction - emotions which attract the will, and obscures the mind.
We can not hope for a real complete understanding of how a heresy surfaces. There are forces in the world which defy any accurate measurement. The mystery of evil still remains a mystery. The purpose here is to understand the meaning and implications of heresies current in our day. Heresies are found in literature, criticism, art, drama, political philosophy, religious writing etc. Hopefully, we will recognize these heresies no matter what guise they assume. As Chesterton said, it is not the evil in the world that causes so much havoc but it is people with good intentions, trying to to good things in wrong ways.
We draw the conclusion before we start that only truth endures the test of time. The vitality of truth is immortal. Even the first Christians had to be warned about this. St Paul warned them - "brethren, that you watch those who cause dissentions and scandals contrary to the doctrines you have learned, and avoid them." From the very first days the whole had to be accepted or none.
In our next post, we will start with the first really great heresy that attacked the early Church and still remains today in some form related to The Arian Heresy.
Before beginning the review of particular heresies, it is important to make more distinctions about our exploration. Here are the priniciples involved in our study.
The intellect can not be blamed as the agent for heresies. The natural object of the intellect is truth
The intellect and faith can not contradict one another. There is never any contradiction between the conclusions of the mind and the demands of faith. The truths of faith sometimes go farther than the conclusion of the mind but faith can never demand that the mind of man assent to what it clearly sees to be impossible. As with philosophy, the intellect can bring you to the door of faith but you must knock for the Lord to open the door to everlasting truth since you are knocking on the door of Perfect Love that is impossible to attain in this life as created beings. We need to return to the source of our creation.
With this in mind, we explore our subjects of heresy with a mental attitude that is calm, assured and curious. We shall find enough to satisfy the natural curiousity of our minds as the what others believe and why they believe them.
After all is said and done, these men are wrong, even though they have a mind that of itself is infallible. All heresy seems to have its roots in poorly controlled emotional reaction - emotions which attract the will, and obscures the mind.
We can not hope for a real complete understanding of how a heresy surfaces. There are forces in the world which defy any accurate measurement. The mystery of evil still remains a mystery. The purpose here is to understand the meaning and implications of heresies current in our day. Heresies are found in literature, criticism, art, drama, political philosophy, religious writing etc. Hopefully, we will recognize these heresies no matter what guise they assume. As Chesterton said, it is not the evil in the world that causes so much havoc but it is people with good intentions, trying to to good things in wrong ways.
We draw the conclusion before we start that only truth endures the test of time. The vitality of truth is immortal. Even the first Christians had to be warned about this. St Paul warned them - "brethren, that you watch those who cause dissentions and scandals contrary to the doctrines you have learned, and avoid them." From the very first days the whole had to be accepted or none.
In our next post, we will start with the first really great heresy that attacked the early Church and still remains today in some form related to The Arian Heresy.
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Yet, the conscience still remains something separate. And a person must follow his conscience even if it is ill-informed. Salvation follows this priority .