The Roman Index of Forbidden Books (Betten)/Section I/Chapter 5
5. Books Forbidden by General or Particular Decrees.
As we have already mentioned, the Constitution "Officiorum ac munerum" establishes the general laws by which books are forbidden. As will be seen in our Summary, these laws deal with classes of books. The only one named expressly is the Bible. But all the books clearly contained in these classes are as strictly condemned as those listed singly in the second part of the Index, sometimes even more strictly.
Pope Leo changed the Tridentine rules "without altering their nature." It is, indeed, difficult to see how the nature of these regulations could have been changed. They simply express the point of view from which the Church must look upon objectionable publications. While opposing and condemning spoken error, the Church surely cannot allow full sway to the printed. In regard to the second part, or Index proper, many wrong notions are current. One of these is, that this Index contains all the books forbidden by the Church, and that there are no others which we are obliged to avoid. From the foregoing remarks, it must, on the contrary, be concluded that there are many other books forbidden by the laws of the Church. The worst of them are not in this special Index at all, because they fall under the general decrees.
It is by no means the intention of the Roman authorities to catalogue all the literary virus that has been vomited forth by printing presses all over the world in the course of four and a half centuries. By means of the general laws laid down in the "Officiorum ac munerum" we are in all cases able to see our duty.
There are especially two purposes for which books are prohibited separately and by name.
Whenever there is a doubt about the nature of a book, recourse may be had to Rome; sometimes the Roman authorities appointed for this purpose, will take up the matter without being appealed to. They will investigate and decide by putting the book on the Index, or, by dismissing it. This is the case with most books publicly censured. It was the case with the books of Schell and Loisy, which, it was strongly urged by learned men, propagated ideas contrary, or at least dangerous, to the faith, though a host of followers admired them as orthodox masterpieces. Rome had to speak, and settled the controversy by condemning the books in question.
Dismissal does not always mean that a book is unobjectionable. The authorities may refrain from pronouncing deserved condemnation for reasons of prudence and expediency.
Sometimes the preservation of discipline or religious unity necessitates this step. Thus about two hundred years ago the Pope had imposed silence on two factions that were carrying on a theological feud. This silence was violated on both sides, a book appearing for the defence of either position. What was more natural than that both books should be put on the Index? These and similar cases could not be covered so clearly by the general decrees.
What has thus far been said, offers a partial solution of another current error. The Index is not a studiously selected, not even a systematically arranged catalogue of objectionable books. It was the need of the moment, doctrinal blunders, cavillations and heresies, grievous trespasses against discipline and charity, proceeding from animosity or want of tact, that caused the insertion of most of the books. In nearly all cases the Roman authorities confined themselves to books concerning which they were appealed to; and as there was no system in the making of these appeals, there could be no system in the condemnations. In the new Leonine edition of the Index the books are enumerated alphabetically by authors or pseudonyms; anonymous books are listed according to titles.
It must now be obvious to the attentive reader why most of the books put on the Index are works on theology, or on the history and government of the Church, and why (as may be expected in the case of such publications), a considerable percentage are written in Latin. However, a goodly number of books are on the Index because they are detrimental to good morals. There are very few there which treat of the natural sciences. The Index will not busy itself with publications on electricity or X-rays, unless an author on a subject of this sort devote a considerable part of his work to attacks upon religion.
There are some well-meaning people who, while agreeing that the productions of Zola, Dumas and other writers of the same sort, fully deserve condemnation, cannot understand why works like Ranke's History of the Popes, which is an acknowledged authority in its line, should be proscribed. Such works are not on the Index for the good things they contain, but for the poison they mix with the wholesome food so cleverly that it takes more than ordinary scholarship and discretion to separate the one from the other.
The Roman Committee of Cardinals, which has charge of this part of ecclesiastical discipline, is not at all bent on proscribing books. Works like the one mentioned are never put on the Index unless it is quite clear that the mischief to be feared from them will far outweigh the good they may do. Scholars and students well grounded in their faith, who have a real and legitimate cause for reading a forbidden book can easily obtain a dispensation.
It is clear from the preceding explanations that a book may sometimes be dropped from the Index. This is done when a book has long ceased to be dangerous, or a cause of dissension, or if it has fallen into oblivion. Thus Pope Leo XIII caused to be expunged about a thousand titles. This does not imply a reproach for the authorities of former centuries, much less the giving up of an iota of the old principles.