The Pentateuch and Catholic criticism : the Catholic critical school (1897-1906)

Abstract

Pentateuchal Criticism took definite shape at the end of the eighteenth century; it became a powerful instrument in the hands of rationalists and their followers for the demolition of many of the traditional beliefs. Against these destructive tendencies Catholics arrayed themselves into two camps: some wanted to safeguard truth by adapting it to modem thinking but they soon got infected by modernism which was condemned by the Churcho The others went back to uncompromisingly defensive positions; they strongly pointed out the weak points in the tenets of the new theories and refused to accept what may have been positive acquisitions.