Editing Pope Pius X (section)

== Anti-modernism ==
{{Integralism |expanded=people}}
[[File:PiusXstudy.jpg|thumb|Pius X in his study while receiving a [[portrait]]. Nearby is a statue of [[John Vianney]].]]
Pope Leo XIII had sought to revive the inheritance of [[Thomas Aquinas]], 'the marriage of reason and revelation', as a response to secular [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]]. Under Pius X, ''[[neo-Thomism]]'' became the blueprint for theology.{{sfn|Noel|2009|p=8}}

Most controversially, Pius X vigorously condemned the theological movement he termed '[[Modernism in the Catholic Church|Modernism]]', which he regarded as a heresy endangering the [[Catholicism|Catholic faith]]. The movement was linked especially to certain Catholic French scholars such as [[Louis Duchesne]], who applied modern critical methods to Church history, drawing together archaeology and topography to supplement literature and setting ecclesiastical events with contexts of social history.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=uvt5DwAAQBAJ&dq=Louis+Duchesne&pg=PA220 Strenski, Ivan. ''Theology and the First Theory of Sacrifice'', BRILL, 2003, p. 220] {{ISBN|9789047402732}}</ref> [[Alfred Loisy]], a student of Duchesne, denied that some parts of Scripture were literally rather than metaphorically true. In contradiction to Thomas Aquinas, they argued that there was an unbridgeable gap between natural and supernatural knowledge. From the traditional viewpoint, such investigations led inevitably to relativism and scepticism. The modernist and relativist theological trends tried to assimilate modern philosophers like [[Immanuel Kant]] as well as rationalism into Catholic theology.{{Citation needed|date=February 2012}}

Anti-Modernists viewed these notions as contrary to the dogmas and traditions of the Catholic Church. In the decree entitled ''[[Lamentabili sane exitu]]''{{sfn|Sarto|1907}} ("A Lamentable Departure Indeed") of 3 July 1907, Pius X formally condemned 65 propositions, mainly drawn from the works of [[Alfred Loisy]] and concerning the nature of the Church, [[revelation]], [[biblical exegesis]], the [[sacraments]], and the divinity of Christ. That was followed by the encyclical ''[[Pascendi dominici gregis]]'' (or "Feeding the Lord's Flock"), which characterized Modernism as the "synthesis of all heresies." 

Escalating the campaign, Pius X ordered that all clerics take the [[Anti-Modernist oath]], ''Sacrorum antistitum''. The pope's aggressive stance against Modernism caused some disruption within the Church, although only about 40 clerics refused to take the oath. Catholic scholarship with Modernist tendencies was greatly discouraged, and theologians who wished to pursue lines of inquiry in line with Secularism, Modernism, or Relativism were threatened with sanctions up to [[excommunication]].

Pius X's attitude toward the Modernists was uncompromising. He also instituted the ''[[Sodalitium Pianum]]'' (or League of Pius V), an anti-Modernist network of informants, which was much criticised due to its accusations of heresy on limited evidence.<ref name="Steven M 1997 pp.57-80" /> This campaign was run by Monsignor [[Umberto Benigni]] in the Department of Extraordinary Affairs in the Secretariat of State, which distributed anti-Modernist propaganda and gathered information on "culprits". In Benigni's secret code, Pius X was known as ''Mama''.<ref name="home">{{Harvnb|Cornwell|2008|p=37}}</ref> Among those it investigated was the teacher of church history, [[Pope John XXIII|Angelo Roncalli]] (later Pope John XXIII), but the [[Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith|Holy Office]] cleared him of all charges.<ref>Eamon Duffy (2006). ''Saints & Sinners'', p. 328.  Yale University Press, New Haven.</ref><ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9053148/Modernism Modernism] on ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]''.</ref>