Genre:

Introduction; Extract

Publications extracted:

Pope Leo XII

Subjects:

Christianity, Infidelity, Scientific Naturalism

    The extracted papal encyclical criticizes '[a] certain sect, which undoubtedly is not unknown to you, improperly arrogating to itself the title of Philosophy', which has argued for religious toleration and 'Indifferentism' (836). In a note, the editor takes this to refer to 'Protestants in their different denominations', and considers that the use of the word philosophy is an attempt to put 'all the religious non-Catholic Bodies on the level of the pretendedly philosophical Infidels, and revolutionists of Europe' (837n). The encyclical asserts that the 'Indifferentism' has gone so far as to include even those societies which 'after having rejected Divine Revelation, make an open profession of pure Deism, nay, of mere Naturalism'. Enquires: 'But will it ever be possible for any man, who makes a right use of his reason, to approve of a Toleration which extends itself to Deism, and even to Naturalism'? (837)