CONVERSION. - I. Joining the ancient world to the Christian faith, when it was announced to him, the baptism of many barbarian peoples, which after only seemed to invade the Roman Empire, to be in it zchrystyanizować, religious conversion of a new world and many peoples, the Far East in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the continuous success of the Catholic Apostolate, and finally the personal return of large numbers of heretics to the unity of the Roman - that's the importance we give here a term conversion.
II. Koncylium Vatican, the Church, recalling these things faith and confidence of the peoples, he says, "that wonderful extension sięjegou contributes to the creation of the" great and eternal motives beliefs "(motivum credibilitatis), the unyielding witness of his divine mission," which-to sanitary certificate, the existence of an intelligent man of the Church to each provider (Sess. III. Constit. de fid. cath. cap. 3). - The same, however, the Council, for the fourth synod wślad Toletańskim (can. 57) and a Sat Trent (Sess. VI, cap. 6) recognizes the freedom of faith and the same token, temperature and conversion. In our minds and nothing will affect the complete and forcible, nor grace, nor preaching, nor the evidence, which shows the truth of religion; freely converted to the Christian faith, pagan, Protestant, disbeliever or an apostate. Once in custody, this belief has already ceased to be Christian, in which salvation has its origin and which is the first nucleus of an excuse. So if every soul, alien true faith, the moment when it clearly knows, it is bound to recur, it can not be compelled to it by force or deceit or przywiedziona lie, because then run out of its belief in freedom, and conversion it would be wrong and useless. It is also canon law in many places explicitly forbids forced the infidels to accept chrystyanizmu, then, even when they had preached enough for it to be able to comprehend the divine and obligatory his character. Also, Pope Benedict XIV (r. 1747) forbids unbelievers to baptize children of parents without the express consent of the latter, with the exception only of accidents abandonment of children by their parents and time of death. Since the Church has no power over nieochrzczonymi, therefore, does not confer the right to compel them to listen to preaching the Gospel, but knows he has a duty to proclaim it to all people and all ages. Yet the act perfectly logically, a state authority grants the right of their infidel subjects to listen to the gospel preached (Constit. Greg. XIII, 1584, and Clement XI in 1704), and to surrender the mistakes and superstitions, which condemns the pure natural reason, because political power can be up to the point of stretch, and we see dlaczegoby did not complete this requirement, when prudence allows. We do not see also, for czegoby state power was not przywodzić (in need, even by force) to listen to the Gospel of the Gentiles, and others, that they wanted to disturb the Church in fulfilling its apostolic task, especially if the Church, unable or unwilling to use its right of defense, engaged the governments Christian. (Prw. S. Thomas. 2-a 2-ae, qu. 10, a. 8, and the commentators). It would also be allowed, according to najuczeńszych theologians show a skłonnos'ć to give some worldly benefit one nation, one tribe, one family, któraby to match the conversion, and denying those benefits to those who would do her impurity insisted on idolatry or herezyi, does not mean -this will allow the violence to humans when they are treated in this way, as long as the niczein not go against the principles of equity (prw. De Lugo De fide dispute. XIX). And quite different is the position of the Church of heretics and apostates, than the Gentiles because of those validly baptized are received into the Church, and the temperature same token, be subject to penalties and worldly priest, the church has the right to be najniezawodniej against his disobedient subjects, and are jakiemi. for example, excommunication. deprivation of ecclesiastical offices and beneficyów, the refusal of Christian burial, etc. In such a society, organization, Christian, and still understand what the average ever materialize, the civil power had to go hand in hand with the ecclesiastical authority, and provide punishment proportionate to the offense, committed against not only the faith but also against the peace, public order, social structures, political state. Such rules uttered pp. Innocent III at the Council of Lateran, and first-rate theologians, among whom let us quote the Cardinal de Lugo (op. cit dispute. XIX and XXIV) and Suarez (De Fide, disp. XX and XXIII). It is true that those profound changes that have occurred recently in the political system the world has made it dangerous or even impossible to complete the exercise of those rights and responsibilities, but these changes could not, and never dokazać nip. dokażą ensure that the exercise of rights those in the past, if tallied with the above principles wyłożonemi was illegitimate. And sometimes that it be coupled with some exaggeration and misuse, fault-it's not doctrine, but of weakness and of human passions, and mainly contemporary defenders of secular power.
In the theory expounded so far as you can see, we do not need to justify the theological teachings favorable liberty must learn to like today's times. But there are other rules which may be today's active niepodobać and that we must briefly justify. The first of these principles is that it has a duty to adopt the true faith of the moment when it is know with certainty. Above it's more secure, if we are convinced of the seriousness and reality of the revelation of God: God speaks and reveals, has the right to require close to him believed and obeyed. This example baptism of children of unbelievers, abandoned by their parents or in life threatening danger zostających;'s too simple, since together with the Church believes in the necessity of baptism for salvation. Children, of which the question here, are entitled to a measure necessary for salvation, and their probable location puts them at a apostazyi danger, and could therefore benefit from the grace of baptism. Attributed to the government the authority of the Christian infidels of his subjects to hear the Gospel and advertised to comply with the obligations of law, natural, can only surprise those who do not believe in any religion, or who are exempt from any state in this respect concerns, but those are the obvious error. Well, then, to believe in this respect you need? Here's the church like any society, like any family, as each entity has a right to defend himself napaściom against unjust that it is entitled to proclaim the Gospel and spread the benefits of Christian civilization, that human authorities are entitled to the Church's activities to promote and accompany her, that this is even required if you are part of the social body of the Church that each person is baptized and therefore legally subject to the ecclesiastical authority of God, - behold, what you need here agree, and what readily and logically agree, anyone who believes in God, in Jesus Christ, His Church, and who faithfully giving in to the direction of mental that Church, he knows and wants to make everything here in the land sought to worship God, to ensure the kingdom of Christ, to secure the salvation of all men. If he even wanted to see the temperature just a philosophical system, and then it would have to admire his greatness, respect his honesty and recognize its logical precision.
III. What said, We should solve two kinds of law: some wish to remove all meaning argument wyprowadzanemu from the fact that conversion of peoples and individuals in favor of the divinity of Catholicism and the Church; others want to turn this argument against the Church itself, accusing the measures przedsiębrane by him for general or personal conversions. Let us examine successively these two types of objections, lo. allegations against the apologetic value of conversions to Catholicism jakiemi boasts, may be summarized thus: terytoryalna space, acquired by the apostles and their followers until Constantine W., is not greater than the space of the countries conquered by Buddhism, Islam, Protestantism ; speed carried through the Catholic converts did not exceed, and may not even compensating for the speed of conversion, which received three religions mentioned higher, moreover, Catholicism at the time of their year corresponded to the general need of souls, to whom he addressed, and contemporary political circumstances, the movement of philosophical concepts in the theory of his own nature and his separate practice was all the makings of a substantial, but by no means miraculous, the supernatural is not successful, encountered especially in the lower layers of the people who slave in the poor, in crowds, trodden and oppressed for centuries by the ancient pride of tyranny, after Constantine and up to extend the effectiveness of our times the Church in the corresponding tis the same reasons she was worth, the church remained in this respect, the same initial equal, and equally to those of religion, which denies the world domination and privilege of divine origin.
This system does not already had a new, responsible above all, that our opponents unduly restrict our reasoning to only the question of the extent and speed, as if we just saw, and then only to prove the divinity of quoted their church by the conversion of the world. In fact, we reason and we zupełnie inaczej; przyznając bowiem, że inne religijne lub pseudo-religijne ruchy cieszyły się również wielką szybkością i rozciągłością, powiadamy, że katolicyzm, taki jak jest sam w sobie, ze swą nauką, ze swa praktyką, ze swemi przykazaniami, swymi zakazami i środkami działania, przychodzący na świat taki, jaki był w pierwszych wiekach naszej ery, i przeprowadzający w sumieniach, w rodzinach i w państwach przekształcenie takie, o jakiem nam prawi historya i na jakie jeszcze oczyma naszemi patrzymy, świadczył o sile i żywotności nieskończenie wyższej od siły i żywotności buddyzmu, mahometanizmu and Protestantism, and that his work can not be rationally wytłómaczyć without the complicity of the supernatural power of God. Buddhism is not brought into the world of the new faith, but a lot of new practices, moral, and the rules changed and transformed her, or to places on which recorded the, and was later persecuted by some princes, has limited its gains on Indyach and China. The extension to the purely natural causes tłómacza: first attempts of his followers, ease of use to the morals of the people. instead of changing the latter, care of the princes, abuse of Brahmanism, the relative beauty of its humanitarian morality. - Mohammedanism arose as a rebellion against the spirit of the body, a right which demanded chrystyanizm and whose power to restore the rule of human life. Methods used in the expansion, the power of weapons and zadosyćuczymenie. the lowest passions include something of a purely natural and easy tłómacza fact of its enlargement. - Protestantism by his teaching, with examples of its founders, by their direct consequences for its further consequences up to our days, it appears as unquestioned thoughts fall and Christian morals. Why, the same can be said about all religions that have arisen against mozaicznego and messyanicznego revelation. And this revelation, on the contrary, always require the firmness of his supporters think the effort of will, purity of morals, were któreby string ascent of man, of humanity, even toward the ideal of niemateryalnemu, eternal and niezmiennemu. Do not see the whole huge difference which separates religion from the latter in terms of prior success and achievements, odniesionych in the world of men's souls? How much more are those, zadatków easy adoption of the folk mass, it is the latter obstacle to the adoption by the people, even the elect. Even supposing that those elected, certainly very few, they were weary and discouraged from paganism, not lusted probably nothing so pure and lofty, like Catholicism, but if the poor, oppressed, miserable were undeniable that Catholicism aids to his release and to improve the temporal its existence, on the other hand they were not prepared at all, as much as was needed, to the virtues of self-denial, humility, obedience, justice, the sweetness of character, of which now have to try.
natural result of crime, tyranny and poverty of the old world was not exanthem chrystyanizmu, it was a terrible outbreak of the revolutionary movement. That similarity of thoughts and feelings that Renan, Havet and others with this, delight, observe between some ancient writers, in moments of acceding their common sense, and between the teaching of Christ the Lord and His apostles, one just goes to show we are convinced of something more than anyone, that is: survival of the human mind and of the principles of natural religion in darkness, errors, dreams and follies paganism. On these are mainly residues zwaliskach relied on these story tellers of the Gospel of their command of the new religion, because it is not required for only a blind acquiescence, but rational obedience, rationabile obsequium, as Saint Paul says. Paul to the Romans (xii, 1). And in this sense-it is able to Clement of Alexandria and many other writers and theologians say that ancient philosophy was used for the preparation and introduction to chrystyanizmu (Prw. Suicer, Thes. Eccl. Wyr. (...)). Today, our opponents do not say this never with such a pronunciation and accuracy, as the great Alexandrian. But what they say, and czegoby he never said he who could so closely to reason, then, that this strange that the success of Catholicism comes from this philosophy. For, why has the Greek and Roman philosophy, the wisdom of so exalted, because that was not a Christian, why do I say, not conquered it, and it alone is not transformed the world? 'Why, it was helpless in the hands of their natural owners, as well as a strengthened once in the hands of Christ and his disciples? 'Why not give the world to Plato and Seneca, but Peter and Paul? He must be some element, some power, some power, which lacked at that, and which are found in these. The strength of this, participation is a supernatural God. And even today, where the church draws its strength undeniable duration, resistance and expansion? In what way can gain so many greedy souls and of truth in this civilized Europe, and so insanely psutej by rationalism? (Prw. Kirchenlexicon, wyr. Convertiten, Art. Statistik. Grube'go). What a way in the face of Protestant missyi, which represents the conversion of the system so convenient for both parties proselytes, as for missyonarzy, how, say, maybe this church przywodzić entire generations and nations to adopt this foolishness of the cross, which I spoke about St. Paul (I Cor. I - IV), and the method and nature of missyonarze Catholics did not change? (Prw. Marshall. Chrétiennes Les Missions). The church can do so only force capable to tame and transform human nature, particularly spoiled in those countries, whose arias faith or philosophy is not enlightened, you may do so alone supernatural power of the nations that having done curable, his divine blood shed to make it healed (I Peter II, 24). In the life of another religious community which is richer and weaknesses apostazyami other competing communities, and quite another to attract to himself the souls of healthy, strong, eager for light and perfection. One is not difficult and is not expected, or some supernatural power, nor the great accuracy of delicacy-and honor. This in turn, on the contrary, it requires higher power when the nature, because nature is not stronger than itself and by itself is not transferred to the sphere of higher and nobler. Meanwhile, we know what falls on the role of conversion to Catholicism, and Protestantism which, some potestant said of his religion: "When the pope bad throw from his herb garden It falls to our niehybnie. "
over four centuries of Catholicism thoroughly fights against the best armed and most meticulously ever been, political power, a terrible hit him in the persecution of his superiors, Popes and bishops, clergy in his lower, in all kinds his followers. Only the conversion of Emperor Constantine has left Catholicism some time to rest, and now begins a new crackdown with podburzanemi or at least popieranemi herezyami by imperial authority. If the government now converted to chrystyanizmu peoples imitated his learning and work, that's not yet completely forgotten the violent tradycyi their pagan or heretical ancestors, and in this way give out this barbaric tyrants arm, who was then still a prison and murder, attempted to prevent the spread of the Catholic faith. And despite everything the Catholic faith is spreading like spread from the beginning by a simple and popular preaching of the Gospel, through love and charity, with examples of raw and brutal life of sacrifice, the patience, resignation, heroic in agony until his death and the spirit of the wedding, at Bozeman cooperation with the apostolate tem, by the grace of God inside and, if necessary, by external miracles. - In view of this picture the same with a picture of Mohammedanism and Protestantism, founded with a friendly, fanatical, even by kings or peoples, and to his defense or expansion of the armed head to toe, with gold nobles, where much depended on the victory of those innovations, with the approval of the moral and finally support of the philosophers, who in Rome and Athens is a mockery when they saw the Christians adopted the animals or the flaming piles - humanists and scientists, who applaud abuse rozpasanych by Luther and Bucer peasants - encyclopedists and lascivious poets, who add courage to the origins of the French Revolution to the French word probably justify saying that the mud is called the blood, the same with a now, I say, the picture the image of the early chrystyanizmu, and say whether you have had the courage to maintain that these origins were purely natural, human, that chrystyanizmu expansion was a logical and necessary result of purely natural causes? Yes, in the absence of the usual measures of success, chrystyanizm mitzvah great charm for the souls of some, mitzvah on their comfort, hope, joy, which no other religion in the same way it does not present. Atolls, where it aids come those whose significance far from reality and do not want to deny? Where does the charm, higher than any earthly sensuality and charm ambicyi? From this flows attractive force, which predicted its founder, as saying: "I ieśli ia a raised set of earth, will draw all men to myself" (John XII, 32). Answer to this common sense: it pulls toward the earth, the earth is what attracted towards the sky, heaven is. And therefore, if you convert the world Catholicism is - from his position rate and extent - some parallel in the history of accidents, it is the moral and philosophical position is absolutely unique and incomparable. (Prw. Perrone, Tract. De vera religione, c. IV, prop. III - IV).
2-for We now present the complaints, posed against nawróceniom specific, jakiemi be proud of the Catholic Church. - Conversion of general and simultaneous conversion of certain peoples and certain tribes were sometimes the result of calculation, sometimes political oppression of conscience, some violence, civil war, relentless persecution. How can there for example do not resent the way in which Klodoweusz converted the Franks, Charles W. Saxons, Louis XIV and Louis XV Protestants? What, show such conversion, or rather what they do not show? Are these conversions massami were not the result of prejudice, often, the people, the result of some fanaticism, excited gorącemi sermons, or the seemingly extraordinary facts, but in reality a purely natural?
As for personal conversions, they are tłómacza uczuciowemi motives, comfort osobistemi, influences quite ordinary, and sometimes even difficult to notice, that, finally, the need to, changes and news, which suffers a lot of souls, especially in certain periods of time. And moreover, the fact that this kind could not have proof of the veracity of chrystyanizmu. If St. And St. Paul. St. Augustine became a Catholic, and that Luther and Calvin did the Protestants, when Constantine adopted the mare W. Christian, then Julian departed from it: chances are equal, both sides have the same evidence for their services.
These are, apparently, the most important and most common objections posed against proof of, branemu by apologists for the fact of conversion. The answer we will begin by recalling what we have said above about the theoretical principles of the Church in this matter. If a public authority or individuals, sometimes even if some bishops and some priests, in order to convert people or units, used measures incompatible with the freedom of faith and sincerity of conscience, not only will not be successful impact of their activities on the evidence quoted their case, which we defend here, but we are going over them categorically deplored and condemned them as symptoms completely contrary to science, and the constant practice of the Church that he always lamented over them, and any, condemned. Let us add, moreover, that committed abuses in this regard are by no means the exclusive work of Catholics alone. Both paganism and Mohammedanism, as the Christian Albigenses, and hussyci waldejczycy, lutrzy, Anglicans, Anabaptists, they were able, always turned out to be persecutors. After all - that we owe the Reformation, the ugly and hard to believe the principle: cuius region, eius religio et, "whose country, the religion." - We have, therefore, neither the desire nor the obligation to investigate and justify all the facts of history, where myślanoby find traces of oppression, gwałtów, albo podstępu i przebiegłości celem przeprowadzenia nawrócenia do katolicyzmu. Że dzicy towarzysze Klodoweusza zadawalniali się ryczałtowym objawem wiary chrześcijańskiej, zanim do niej przystąpili tak samo jak ich dowódzca; że wojska Karola Wielkiego nie szczędziły Sasów, opornych przepowiadaniu Ewangelii, a bardziej jeszcze najprostszym pojęciom sprawiedliwości i religii naturalnej; że dragoni Ludwika XIV, a nawet Ludwika XV, źle się obchodzili z hugonotami, zarówno niebezpiecznymi dla państwa jak dla Kościoła, to czegóż to wszystko może dowodzić przeciw boskości chrystyanizmu? Czyżby z tego można a finding contrary to the best-known historical facts, that the conversion of the whole world was just one act of violence and deception? , "Philosophers have our say, said Bergier, (Diet. de Theol. Article. Fanatisme) that the peoples of the north have been converted by force," even if it was true, it would be this happy to congratulate the rape, which liberate the whole of Europe from their raids, and that they drew themselves from barbarism. But this is untrue.
And the belief is mistaken, that the military orders were established for the conversion unbelievers with fire and sword: they have been established for warding off the infidels, who rubbed the chrystyanizm sword. It had also sometimes the same way to defend him.
well known folk flammability and fanaticism, interesting and sometimes startling his symptoms occur today in some Protestant sects in America, like the fact that we perceive in the annals of the Middle Ages, the then instance flagellants seem, to us to be very similar to the participants in today's army of salvation. But is used when the Church of these strange signs of repentance? Not! always distinguish them from real and lasting conversions; condemned them and the whole strength of the disturbed, and if you lift the spirit and encouraged the zealous apostles of the people such as Saint. Dominic, Saint. Ferreryusz Vincent, St. Or St. Francis Xavier. Francis Regis, is suppressed in the thirteenth century flagellants Italy, XIV and XV of these flagellants in Germany in the eighteenth century, the cemetery of St. konwulsyonistów. Medard, not to mention fanatykach first centuries, whose madness podżegało at the sources of paganism and Gnosticism. But, on the contrary, what no, the measure of fanaticism can not be as fair admiration, called holiness or acts of apostolic men, admiration, excited not only completely authentic miracles in the early chrystyanizmu, but more or less frequently in subsequent centuries: wstrząśnienia beneficial, due to the nations of the terrible events, or by the apparent blessing of heaven, - such events must be considered as completely correct and a providential means of conversion or moral rebirth. And this is not always was and always will be lying braknąć reformers, whose mission, none of these reasons are not justified, could not be supported on the success of an explicit and immoral bezreligijnym (Prw. Bergier, ibid art, Mission). - As for personal conversions, some of them tend to be not only loyal and sincere. We reject the first such conversion and compared to the conversion of Simon the Sorcerer, the Apostles asking for him for the price of gold under the supernatural. Atolls, with no obvious sofizmatu not be on the ground believe that all or even more personal conversions only part was bad, When we examine them zbliska when he enters in the motives which caused them, and they speak, their own converts, eg valuable works Raess'a, Bishop Strassburskiego (Die seit der Reformation Cosnvertiten, 13 volumes), one is struck with two details: utterly selfless, noble, nobles and scholars back the souls who have returned to the Catholic faith, then, an extraordinary abundance of light , which gave them the grace of God, and even what we Catholics by birth and religion powinniby benefit far more than the benefit. - Complain about our opponents Cashier conversions, which appears to be under the management of Louis XIV Pellissona, and having six francs per capita income for rejection of Calvinism, it was supposedly not produce great results, and then the king had only to decide on the appeal Edict of Nantes. Credat Judaeus! Let the foolish believe this, if you want! What do you mean? miałżeby Pellisson believe that the price of six lire for a conversion will be able to buy the conscience of his former co-religionists? Miałżeby he agree to this despicable trade? Could you could imagine the royal court, that by this means he is able to achieve a goal so big, and when the measure failed, miałżeby to wriggle around and revoke the Edict of Nantes to the fact that the victim was not good six lire? What a joke with serious people! Historical truth is that since 1598 there was a recurring cash assistance to the Protestant pastors, and the temperature same token, often without means of subsistence, if they live with you, do not receive the money, which was not to pay for a derogation from the faith. (Prw. Raess, op. Di. Volume III, p. 269 - 277; Feller. Dict. Histor. O Pellissonie). Not the goal was another house, built in Paris for the converts, and the measures taken in their favor by parliament in 1663, and by the king in the years 1664, 1681 and 1685, and certainly not in France-is and is not in this particular era of time could be brought about traffic consciences of men; herezya if he agreed to the use of this, it's never - it would not agree such bishops as Bossuet and Fenelon.
As for the Edict of Nantes appeal (now Article Vol.), Then it could not be motivated by the alleged failure of cash Pellissona, many writers even believed that it was not aimed at winning new converts, któreby be far easier to obtain measures previously used. Protestant and skeptic Bayi tłómaczy justifies them, and almost completely inncini causes; obvious thing that he is closer to the truth than those who-would like to think of it, and assign the responsibility for the Church, who was allegedly seen in the temperature regulation means a perfect conversion. That some religious personalities were in this respect, some blissful illusion, or rather that pochwalały political thought of the king, a thing possible, but the church nor the law nor in fact is not ranked among Odwalania Edict of Nantes of the order of his Apostolate and the methods of conversion. - It's what we said above about the real pobudkach cited by converts themselves in favor of the unity of Catholic, what Catholic apologists and kontrowersyści never neglected to submit the heretics, to persuade them to unity, quite sufficient to refute an allegation of subjektywizmie and sentimentality, stawianego against nawróceniom in general. No, not without a serious consideration and deliberation, not without reason and return the firm converts to the Church and the Church gladly welcomes them. If sometimes it pushes them towards the heart, that's not only listen to the heart itself and even a. the heart, after all, how often would they be dismissed from the church! After all-it's probably not it encourages them to break, when the faith so requests, with friends, family, with peace and wealth. Do it-it leads to poverty, persecution and martyrdom. And if that's all it does, that some higher power must give them life! Strength-to grace that it transforms as well as transform the human mind. Therefore, not all religions are the same changes to apologetics: the conversion and the corruption, the return to faith and apostazya are substantially different, and also substantially different should cause us feelings. The more that the results of them are not anything alike: St. Paul and Luther, after completing his great inner transformation does not live on one and the same way; St. Augustine and Calvin for their internal transformation does not come to that same agenda of religious and moral. The fruit that these people bring, it is easy to judge whether these trees were given juices and juice poisoned God, repentance, even personal, in their entirety are the solid foundation for evaluation and criticism in solving the issue of faith. From the standpoint of social conversion. Constantine W. and apostasy Julian the Apostate also show the same differences and even opposing lead to results; probably only the absolute skepticism or some wolnomyślny pantheism may tem seen no significant hue and trivialities.
(Freiburg Kirchenlexicon Articles Prw.. Converaion and Convertiten; Rohrbacher, Tableau generale des conversions; Baunard, Le Doute et ses yictimes; la Foi et ses Victoires, and the work cited in this article.) (Dr. J. Didiot).
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II. Koncylium Vatican, the Church, recalling these things faith and confidence of the peoples, he says, "that wonderful extension sięjegou contributes to the creation of the" great and eternal motives beliefs "(motivum credibilitatis), the unyielding witness of his divine mission," which-to sanitary certificate, the existence of an intelligent man of the Church to each provider (Sess. III. Constit. de fid. cath. cap. 3). - The same, however, the Council, for the fourth synod wślad Toletańskim (can. 57) and a Sat Trent (Sess. VI, cap. 6) recognizes the freedom of faith and the same token, temperature and conversion. In our minds and nothing will affect the complete and forcible, nor grace, nor preaching, nor the evidence, which shows the truth of religion; freely converted to the Christian faith, pagan, Protestant, disbeliever or an apostate. Once in custody, this belief has already ceased to be Christian, in which salvation has its origin and which is the first nucleus of an excuse. So if every soul, alien true faith, the moment when it clearly knows, it is bound to recur, it can not be compelled to it by force or deceit or przywiedziona lie, because then run out of its belief in freedom, and conversion it would be wrong and useless. It is also canon law in many places explicitly forbids forced the infidels to accept chrystyanizmu, then, even when they had preached enough for it to be able to comprehend the divine and obligatory his character. Also, Pope Benedict XIV (r. 1747) forbids unbelievers to baptize children of parents without the express consent of the latter, with the exception only of accidents abandonment of children by their parents and time of death. Since the Church has no power over nieochrzczonymi, therefore, does not confer the right to compel them to listen to preaching the Gospel, but knows he has a duty to proclaim it to all people and all ages. Yet the act perfectly logically, a state authority grants the right of their infidel subjects to listen to the gospel preached (Constit. Greg. XIII, 1584, and Clement XI in 1704), and to surrender the mistakes and superstitions, which condemns the pure natural reason, because political power can be up to the point of stretch, and we see dlaczegoby did not complete this requirement, when prudence allows. We do not see also, for czegoby state power was not przywodzić (in need, even by force) to listen to the Gospel of the Gentiles, and others, that they wanted to disturb the Church in fulfilling its apostolic task, especially if the Church, unable or unwilling to use its right of defense, engaged the governments Christian. (Prw. S. Thomas. 2-a 2-ae, qu. 10, a. 8, and the commentators). It would also be allowed, according to najuczeńszych theologians show a skłonnos'ć to give some worldly benefit one nation, one tribe, one family, któraby to match the conversion, and denying those benefits to those who would do her impurity insisted on idolatry or herezyi, does not mean -this will allow the violence to humans when they are treated in this way, as long as the niczein not go against the principles of equity (prw. De Lugo De fide dispute. XIX). And quite different is the position of the Church of heretics and apostates, than the Gentiles because of those validly baptized are received into the Church, and the temperature same token, be subject to penalties and worldly priest, the church has the right to be najniezawodniej against his disobedient subjects, and are jakiemi. for example, excommunication. deprivation of ecclesiastical offices and beneficyów, the refusal of Christian burial, etc. In such a society, organization, Christian, and still understand what the average ever materialize, the civil power had to go hand in hand with the ecclesiastical authority, and provide punishment proportionate to the offense, committed against not only the faith but also against the peace, public order, social structures, political state. Such rules uttered pp. Innocent III at the Council of Lateran, and first-rate theologians, among whom let us quote the Cardinal de Lugo (op. cit dispute. XIX and XXIV) and Suarez (De Fide, disp. XX and XXIII). It is true that those profound changes that have occurred recently in the political system the world has made it dangerous or even impossible to complete the exercise of those rights and responsibilities, but these changes could not, and never dokazać nip. dokażą ensure that the exercise of rights those in the past, if tallied with the above principles wyłożonemi was illegitimate. And sometimes that it be coupled with some exaggeration and misuse, fault-it's not doctrine, but of weakness and of human passions, and mainly contemporary defenders of secular power.
In the theory expounded so far as you can see, we do not need to justify the theological teachings favorable liberty must learn to like today's times. But there are other rules which may be today's active niepodobać and that we must briefly justify. The first of these principles is that it has a duty to adopt the true faith of the moment when it is know with certainty. Above it's more secure, if we are convinced of the seriousness and reality of the revelation of God: God speaks and reveals, has the right to require close to him believed and obeyed. This example baptism of children of unbelievers, abandoned by their parents or in life threatening danger zostających;'s too simple, since together with the Church believes in the necessity of baptism for salvation. Children, of which the question here, are entitled to a measure necessary for salvation, and their probable location puts them at a apostazyi danger, and could therefore benefit from the grace of baptism. Attributed to the government the authority of the Christian infidels of his subjects to hear the Gospel and advertised to comply with the obligations of law, natural, can only surprise those who do not believe in any religion, or who are exempt from any state in this respect concerns, but those are the obvious error. Well, then, to believe in this respect you need? Here's the church like any society, like any family, as each entity has a right to defend himself napaściom against unjust that it is entitled to proclaim the Gospel and spread the benefits of Christian civilization, that human authorities are entitled to the Church's activities to promote and accompany her, that this is even required if you are part of the social body of the Church that each person is baptized and therefore legally subject to the ecclesiastical authority of God, - behold, what you need here agree, and what readily and logically agree, anyone who believes in God, in Jesus Christ, His Church, and who faithfully giving in to the direction of mental that Church, he knows and wants to make everything here in the land sought to worship God, to ensure the kingdom of Christ, to secure the salvation of all men. If he even wanted to see the temperature just a philosophical system, and then it would have to admire his greatness, respect his honesty and recognize its logical precision.
III. What said, We should solve two kinds of law: some wish to remove all meaning argument wyprowadzanemu from the fact that conversion of peoples and individuals in favor of the divinity of Catholicism and the Church; others want to turn this argument against the Church itself, accusing the measures przedsiębrane by him for general or personal conversions. Let us examine successively these two types of objections, lo. allegations against the apologetic value of conversions to Catholicism jakiemi boasts, may be summarized thus: terytoryalna space, acquired by the apostles and their followers until Constantine W., is not greater than the space of the countries conquered by Buddhism, Islam, Protestantism ; speed carried through the Catholic converts did not exceed, and may not even compensating for the speed of conversion, which received three religions mentioned higher, moreover, Catholicism at the time of their year corresponded to the general need of souls, to whom he addressed, and contemporary political circumstances, the movement of philosophical concepts in the theory of his own nature and his separate practice was all the makings of a substantial, but by no means miraculous, the supernatural is not successful, encountered especially in the lower layers of the people who slave in the poor, in crowds, trodden and oppressed for centuries by the ancient pride of tyranny, after Constantine and up to extend the effectiveness of our times the Church in the corresponding tis the same reasons she was worth, the church remained in this respect, the same initial equal, and equally to those of religion, which denies the world domination and privilege of divine origin.
This system does not already had a new, responsible above all, that our opponents unduly restrict our reasoning to only the question of the extent and speed, as if we just saw, and then only to prove the divinity of quoted their church by the conversion of the world. In fact, we reason and we zupełnie inaczej; przyznając bowiem, że inne religijne lub pseudo-religijne ruchy cieszyły się również wielką szybkością i rozciągłością, powiadamy, że katolicyzm, taki jak jest sam w sobie, ze swą nauką, ze swa praktyką, ze swemi przykazaniami, swymi zakazami i środkami działania, przychodzący na świat taki, jaki był w pierwszych wiekach naszej ery, i przeprowadzający w sumieniach, w rodzinach i w państwach przekształcenie takie, o jakiem nam prawi historya i na jakie jeszcze oczyma naszemi patrzymy, świadczył o sile i żywotności nieskończenie wyższej od siły i żywotności buddyzmu, mahometanizmu and Protestantism, and that his work can not be rationally wytłómaczyć without the complicity of the supernatural power of God. Buddhism is not brought into the world of the new faith, but a lot of new practices, moral, and the rules changed and transformed her, or to places on which recorded the, and was later persecuted by some princes, has limited its gains on Indyach and China. The extension to the purely natural causes tłómacza: first attempts of his followers, ease of use to the morals of the people. instead of changing the latter, care of the princes, abuse of Brahmanism, the relative beauty of its humanitarian morality. - Mohammedanism arose as a rebellion against the spirit of the body, a right which demanded chrystyanizm and whose power to restore the rule of human life. Methods used in the expansion, the power of weapons and zadosyćuczymenie. the lowest passions include something of a purely natural and easy tłómacza fact of its enlargement. - Protestantism by his teaching, with examples of its founders, by their direct consequences for its further consequences up to our days, it appears as unquestioned thoughts fall and Christian morals. Why, the same can be said about all religions that have arisen against mozaicznego and messyanicznego revelation. And this revelation, on the contrary, always require the firmness of his supporters think the effort of will, purity of morals, were któreby string ascent of man, of humanity, even toward the ideal of niemateryalnemu, eternal and niezmiennemu. Do not see the whole huge difference which separates religion from the latter in terms of prior success and achievements, odniesionych in the world of men's souls? How much more are those, zadatków easy adoption of the folk mass, it is the latter obstacle to the adoption by the people, even the elect. Even supposing that those elected, certainly very few, they were weary and discouraged from paganism, not lusted probably nothing so pure and lofty, like Catholicism, but if the poor, oppressed, miserable were undeniable that Catholicism aids to his release and to improve the temporal its existence, on the other hand they were not prepared at all, as much as was needed, to the virtues of self-denial, humility, obedience, justice, the sweetness of character, of which now have to try.
natural result of crime, tyranny and poverty of the old world was not exanthem chrystyanizmu, it was a terrible outbreak of the revolutionary movement. That similarity of thoughts and feelings that Renan, Havet and others with this, delight, observe between some ancient writers, in moments of acceding their common sense, and between the teaching of Christ the Lord and His apostles, one just goes to show we are convinced of something more than anyone, that is: survival of the human mind and of the principles of natural religion in darkness, errors, dreams and follies paganism. On these are mainly residues zwaliskach relied on these story tellers of the Gospel of their command of the new religion, because it is not required for only a blind acquiescence, but rational obedience, rationabile obsequium, as Saint Paul says. Paul to the Romans (xii, 1). And in this sense-it is able to Clement of Alexandria and many other writers and theologians say that ancient philosophy was used for the preparation and introduction to chrystyanizmu (Prw. Suicer, Thes. Eccl. Wyr. (...)). Today, our opponents do not say this never with such a pronunciation and accuracy, as the great Alexandrian. But what they say, and czegoby he never said he who could so closely to reason, then, that this strange that the success of Catholicism comes from this philosophy. For, why has the Greek and Roman philosophy, the wisdom of so exalted, because that was not a Christian, why do I say, not conquered it, and it alone is not transformed the world? 'Why, it was helpless in the hands of their natural owners, as well as a strengthened once in the hands of Christ and his disciples? 'Why not give the world to Plato and Seneca, but Peter and Paul? He must be some element, some power, some power, which lacked at that, and which are found in these. The strength of this, participation is a supernatural God. And even today, where the church draws its strength undeniable duration, resistance and expansion? In what way can gain so many greedy souls and of truth in this civilized Europe, and so insanely psutej by rationalism? (Prw. Kirchenlexicon, wyr. Convertiten, Art. Statistik. Grube'go). What a way in the face of Protestant missyi, which represents the conversion of the system so convenient for both parties proselytes, as for missyonarzy, how, say, maybe this church przywodzić entire generations and nations to adopt this foolishness of the cross, which I spoke about St. Paul (I Cor. I - IV), and the method and nature of missyonarze Catholics did not change? (Prw. Marshall. Chrétiennes Les Missions). The church can do so only force capable to tame and transform human nature, particularly spoiled in those countries, whose arias faith or philosophy is not enlightened, you may do so alone supernatural power of the nations that having done curable, his divine blood shed to make it healed (I Peter II, 24). In the life of another religious community which is richer and weaknesses apostazyami other competing communities, and quite another to attract to himself the souls of healthy, strong, eager for light and perfection. One is not difficult and is not expected, or some supernatural power, nor the great accuracy of delicacy-and honor. This in turn, on the contrary, it requires higher power when the nature, because nature is not stronger than itself and by itself is not transferred to the sphere of higher and nobler. Meanwhile, we know what falls on the role of conversion to Catholicism, and Protestantism which, some potestant said of his religion: "When the pope bad throw from his herb garden It falls to our niehybnie. "
over four centuries of Catholicism thoroughly fights against the best armed and most meticulously ever been, political power, a terrible hit him in the persecution of his superiors, Popes and bishops, clergy in his lower, in all kinds his followers. Only the conversion of Emperor Constantine has left Catholicism some time to rest, and now begins a new crackdown with podburzanemi or at least popieranemi herezyami by imperial authority. If the government now converted to chrystyanizmu peoples imitated his learning and work, that's not yet completely forgotten the violent tradycyi their pagan or heretical ancestors, and in this way give out this barbaric tyrants arm, who was then still a prison and murder, attempted to prevent the spread of the Catholic faith. And despite everything the Catholic faith is spreading like spread from the beginning by a simple and popular preaching of the Gospel, through love and charity, with examples of raw and brutal life of sacrifice, the patience, resignation, heroic in agony until his death and the spirit of the wedding, at Bozeman cooperation with the apostolate tem, by the grace of God inside and, if necessary, by external miracles. - In view of this picture the same with a picture of Mohammedanism and Protestantism, founded with a friendly, fanatical, even by kings or peoples, and to his defense or expansion of the armed head to toe, with gold nobles, where much depended on the victory of those innovations, with the approval of the moral and finally support of the philosophers, who in Rome and Athens is a mockery when they saw the Christians adopted the animals or the flaming piles - humanists and scientists, who applaud abuse rozpasanych by Luther and Bucer peasants - encyclopedists and lascivious poets, who add courage to the origins of the French Revolution to the French word probably justify saying that the mud is called the blood, the same with a now, I say, the picture the image of the early chrystyanizmu, and say whether you have had the courage to maintain that these origins were purely natural, human, that chrystyanizmu expansion was a logical and necessary result of purely natural causes? Yes, in the absence of the usual measures of success, chrystyanizm mitzvah great charm for the souls of some, mitzvah on their comfort, hope, joy, which no other religion in the same way it does not present. Atolls, where it aids come those whose significance far from reality and do not want to deny? Where does the charm, higher than any earthly sensuality and charm ambicyi? From this flows attractive force, which predicted its founder, as saying: "I ieśli ia a raised set of earth, will draw all men to myself" (John XII, 32). Answer to this common sense: it pulls toward the earth, the earth is what attracted towards the sky, heaven is. And therefore, if you convert the world Catholicism is - from his position rate and extent - some parallel in the history of accidents, it is the moral and philosophical position is absolutely unique and incomparable. (Prw. Perrone, Tract. De vera religione, c. IV, prop. III - IV).
2-for We now present the complaints, posed against nawróceniom specific, jakiemi be proud of the Catholic Church. - Conversion of general and simultaneous conversion of certain peoples and certain tribes were sometimes the result of calculation, sometimes political oppression of conscience, some violence, civil war, relentless persecution. How can there for example do not resent the way in which Klodoweusz converted the Franks, Charles W. Saxons, Louis XIV and Louis XV Protestants? What, show such conversion, or rather what they do not show? Are these conversions massami were not the result of prejudice, often, the people, the result of some fanaticism, excited gorącemi sermons, or the seemingly extraordinary facts, but in reality a purely natural?
As for personal conversions, they are tłómacza uczuciowemi motives, comfort osobistemi, influences quite ordinary, and sometimes even difficult to notice, that, finally, the need to, changes and news, which suffers a lot of souls, especially in certain periods of time. And moreover, the fact that this kind could not have proof of the veracity of chrystyanizmu. If St. And St. Paul. St. Augustine became a Catholic, and that Luther and Calvin did the Protestants, when Constantine adopted the mare W. Christian, then Julian departed from it: chances are equal, both sides have the same evidence for their services.
These are, apparently, the most important and most common objections posed against proof of, branemu by apologists for the fact of conversion. The answer we will begin by recalling what we have said above about the theoretical principles of the Church in this matter. If a public authority or individuals, sometimes even if some bishops and some priests, in order to convert people or units, used measures incompatible with the freedom of faith and sincerity of conscience, not only will not be successful impact of their activities on the evidence quoted their case, which we defend here, but we are going over them categorically deplored and condemned them as symptoms completely contrary to science, and the constant practice of the Church that he always lamented over them, and any, condemned. Let us add, moreover, that committed abuses in this regard are by no means the exclusive work of Catholics alone. Both paganism and Mohammedanism, as the Christian Albigenses, and hussyci waldejczycy, lutrzy, Anglicans, Anabaptists, they were able, always turned out to be persecutors. After all - that we owe the Reformation, the ugly and hard to believe the principle: cuius region, eius religio et, "whose country, the religion." - We have, therefore, neither the desire nor the obligation to investigate and justify all the facts of history, where myślanoby find traces of oppression, gwałtów, albo podstępu i przebiegłości celem przeprowadzenia nawrócenia do katolicyzmu. Że dzicy towarzysze Klodoweusza zadawalniali się ryczałtowym objawem wiary chrześcijańskiej, zanim do niej przystąpili tak samo jak ich dowódzca; że wojska Karola Wielkiego nie szczędziły Sasów, opornych przepowiadaniu Ewangelii, a bardziej jeszcze najprostszym pojęciom sprawiedliwości i religii naturalnej; że dragoni Ludwika XIV, a nawet Ludwika XV, źle się obchodzili z hugonotami, zarówno niebezpiecznymi dla państwa jak dla Kościoła, to czegóż to wszystko może dowodzić przeciw boskości chrystyanizmu? Czyżby z tego można a finding contrary to the best-known historical facts, that the conversion of the whole world was just one act of violence and deception? , "Philosophers have our say, said Bergier, (Diet. de Theol. Article. Fanatisme) that the peoples of the north have been converted by force," even if it was true, it would be this happy to congratulate the rape, which liberate the whole of Europe from their raids, and that they drew themselves from barbarism. But this is untrue.
And the belief is mistaken, that the military orders were established for the conversion unbelievers with fire and sword: they have been established for warding off the infidels, who rubbed the chrystyanizm sword. It had also sometimes the same way to defend him.
well known folk flammability and fanaticism, interesting and sometimes startling his symptoms occur today in some Protestant sects in America, like the fact that we perceive in the annals of the Middle Ages, the then instance flagellants seem, to us to be very similar to the participants in today's army of salvation. But is used when the Church of these strange signs of repentance? Not! always distinguish them from real and lasting conversions; condemned them and the whole strength of the disturbed, and if you lift the spirit and encouraged the zealous apostles of the people such as Saint. Dominic, Saint. Ferreryusz Vincent, St. Or St. Francis Xavier. Francis Regis, is suppressed in the thirteenth century flagellants Italy, XIV and XV of these flagellants in Germany in the eighteenth century, the cemetery of St. konwulsyonistów. Medard, not to mention fanatykach first centuries, whose madness podżegało at the sources of paganism and Gnosticism. But, on the contrary, what no, the measure of fanaticism can not be as fair admiration, called holiness or acts of apostolic men, admiration, excited not only completely authentic miracles in the early chrystyanizmu, but more or less frequently in subsequent centuries: wstrząśnienia beneficial, due to the nations of the terrible events, or by the apparent blessing of heaven, - such events must be considered as completely correct and a providential means of conversion or moral rebirth. And this is not always was and always will be lying braknąć reformers, whose mission, none of these reasons are not justified, could not be supported on the success of an explicit and immoral bezreligijnym (Prw. Bergier, ibid art, Mission). - As for personal conversions, some of them tend to be not only loyal and sincere. We reject the first such conversion and compared to the conversion of Simon the Sorcerer, the Apostles asking for him for the price of gold under the supernatural. Atolls, with no obvious sofizmatu not be on the ground believe that all or even more personal conversions only part was bad, When we examine them zbliska when he enters in the motives which caused them, and they speak, their own converts, eg valuable works Raess'a, Bishop Strassburskiego (Die seit der Reformation Cosnvertiten, 13 volumes), one is struck with two details: utterly selfless, noble, nobles and scholars back the souls who have returned to the Catholic faith, then, an extraordinary abundance of light , which gave them the grace of God, and even what we Catholics by birth and religion powinniby benefit far more than the benefit. - Complain about our opponents Cashier conversions, which appears to be under the management of Louis XIV Pellissona, and having six francs per capita income for rejection of Calvinism, it was supposedly not produce great results, and then the king had only to decide on the appeal Edict of Nantes. Credat Judaeus! Let the foolish believe this, if you want! What do you mean? miałżeby Pellisson believe that the price of six lire for a conversion will be able to buy the conscience of his former co-religionists? Miałżeby he agree to this despicable trade? Could you could imagine the royal court, that by this means he is able to achieve a goal so big, and when the measure failed, miałżeby to wriggle around and revoke the Edict of Nantes to the fact that the victim was not good six lire? What a joke with serious people! Historical truth is that since 1598 there was a recurring cash assistance to the Protestant pastors, and the temperature same token, often without means of subsistence, if they live with you, do not receive the money, which was not to pay for a derogation from the faith. (Prw. Raess, op. Di. Volume III, p. 269 - 277; Feller. Dict. Histor. O Pellissonie). Not the goal was another house, built in Paris for the converts, and the measures taken in their favor by parliament in 1663, and by the king in the years 1664, 1681 and 1685, and certainly not in France-is and is not in this particular era of time could be brought about traffic consciences of men; herezya if he agreed to the use of this, it's never - it would not agree such bishops as Bossuet and Fenelon.
As for the Edict of Nantes appeal (now Article Vol.), Then it could not be motivated by the alleged failure of cash Pellissona, many writers even believed that it was not aimed at winning new converts, któreby be far easier to obtain measures previously used. Protestant and skeptic Bayi tłómaczy justifies them, and almost completely inncini causes; obvious thing that he is closer to the truth than those who-would like to think of it, and assign the responsibility for the Church, who was allegedly seen in the temperature regulation means a perfect conversion. That some religious personalities were in this respect, some blissful illusion, or rather that pochwalały political thought of the king, a thing possible, but the church nor the law nor in fact is not ranked among Odwalania Edict of Nantes of the order of his Apostolate and the methods of conversion. - It's what we said above about the real pobudkach cited by converts themselves in favor of the unity of Catholic, what Catholic apologists and kontrowersyści never neglected to submit the heretics, to persuade them to unity, quite sufficient to refute an allegation of subjektywizmie and sentimentality, stawianego against nawróceniom in general. No, not without a serious consideration and deliberation, not without reason and return the firm converts to the Church and the Church gladly welcomes them. If sometimes it pushes them towards the heart, that's not only listen to the heart itself and even a. the heart, after all, how often would they be dismissed from the church! After all-it's probably not it encourages them to break, when the faith so requests, with friends, family, with peace and wealth. Do it-it leads to poverty, persecution and martyrdom. And if that's all it does, that some higher power must give them life! Strength-to grace that it transforms as well as transform the human mind. Therefore, not all religions are the same changes to apologetics: the conversion and the corruption, the return to faith and apostazya are substantially different, and also substantially different should cause us feelings. The more that the results of them are not anything alike: St. Paul and Luther, after completing his great inner transformation does not live on one and the same way; St. Augustine and Calvin for their internal transformation does not come to that same agenda of religious and moral. The fruit that these people bring, it is easy to judge whether these trees were given juices and juice poisoned God, repentance, even personal, in their entirety are the solid foundation for evaluation and criticism in solving the issue of faith. From the standpoint of social conversion. Constantine W. and apostasy Julian the Apostate also show the same differences and even opposing lead to results; probably only the absolute skepticism or some wolnomyślny pantheism may tem seen no significant hue and trivialities.
(Freiburg Kirchenlexicon Articles Prw.. Converaion and Convertiten; Rohrbacher, Tableau generale des conversions; Baunard, Le Doute et ses yictimes; la Foi et ses Victoires, and the work cited in this article.) (Dr. J. Didiot).
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