Fifteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

In the 1890s, conservative members of the American hierarchy denounced certain principles of liberalism that were condemned by Pius IX in his Syllabus of Errors, identifying them as pervasive issues within the American public sphere. Among the criticisms leveled against American ideals were those conflicting with post-1848 Catholic teachings, particularly political ideals upheld by the American and French Republics. Of particular concern to the Papacy was the notion of individual agency in selecting rulers and information through democratic processes. The Magisterium perceived this as potentially heretical, asserting that the responsibility for selecting what to believe should not rest with the laity, as implied by the American democratic system. Rather, it emphasized the Magisterium’s role in guiding the faithful towards salvation through curated information. A focal point of contention for the clergy was the questioning of Christ’s divinity, with a segment of American thought in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries positing Christ as a mere human teacher. Such assertions were declared blasphemous by Catholic doctrine, representing a dangerous departure from orthodox belief that required intervention to safeguard the souls of the faithful. This paper examines the press’s response to Americanism and its associated belief in individualism, both of which were condemned by the Catholic Church during this period