Dawn or twilight? A study of contemporary Roman Catholicism

Written by H. M. Carson Reviewed By Mike Garde

Herbert Carson has always been concerned for theological consistency. In Ireland he has been in conversation and debate with Catholics, and has not hesitated to condemn Protestant extremism where necessary. This book, a revision of his Roman Catholicism today published by IVP in 1964, is strong on truth applied in a loving manner. Two new chapters have been added which indicate the great changes since the first edition. The first deals with progressive or the New Catholicism as it is called. Originally, Herbert Carson viewed the progressives as a minority group within a monolithic Tridentine structure. He had put the issue with Küng thus: it is one matter to question secondary issues, but ‘It is quite another matter to go to the heart of things and to query papal infallibility’ (Roman Catholicism today, p. 9). The mark of the changed situation is that Küng has questioned the Pope’s infallibility and what is more has got away with it. Unlike older Protestant responses to Catholicism, Carson does not need to look for material to explode Rome’s claims—he can use their own theologians. The revolt of traditionalist Catholics like Archbishop Marcel Lefèbvre shows how the theological world has been thrown upside down. Throughout the book Carson shows how Pope Paul VI has tried to emphasize traditional beliefs. Catholic liberals have adopted a relativistic epistemology. This tends to encourage a definition of truth in terms of its consequences and of orthodoxy in terms of its political significance. Here then is a general view of the new Catholicism which will help situate the reader within the larger framework of Catholic belief. David F. Wells’ book Revolution in Rome (London) has an extended treatment of the progressive theologians.

What then is Herbert Carson’s methodology? It is expressed well in his earlier book, and it seems to hold true for the new one. And after all, whatever the progressive Roman Catholic thinker may say, Trent is still the official doctrinal standard and when we want to find out what Rome really teaches it is largely to Trent we must go—apart from those dogmatic pronouncements which have been made since then’ (Roman Catholicism today, p. 10). He really takes dogmatic claims seriously and expects doctrine to relate to reality. Naturally this does not apply only to Catholic but to other statements like the Thirty-nine Articles. Carson’s farewell to Anglicanism leads him to expect similar dogmatic responsibility by others. The reality, however, is totally different. We are living in an age of near universal theological pragmatism, where truths for which people in a different age were burned are discarded without as much as a blush. This book will have served its purpose if it helps people to see the necessity for truth and its consequences. Furthermore, a response by a Roman Catholic theologian is long overdue.

The second new addition is a section on the charismatic renewal. It welcomes its biblical direction, and does not disparage the work of the Holy Spirit. It questions our Protestant assumptions. It clearly shows the dangers in a movement which does not question things contrary to the Word of God. Experience must always be checked by the Word of God. Perhaps Catholic charismatics will reply, ‘Let us first have the experience so that we can check it. Protestants by placing doctrine first do not in practice let the experience become event.’

There follow fourteen chapters dealing with various aspects of Catholic belief. Chapter 3, ‘By what authority?’ is totally rewritten. It has an excellent critique of the idea of the identification of Christ and the church, otherwise known as the permanent incarnation. There follow chapters on infallibility, the appeal to Scripture, the evidence of tradition, the test of history, the sacraments, the priesthood, and transubstantiation. In this chapter, p. 99, Herbert Carson has not revised his earlier work sufficiently. He writes, ‘The priest stands not at a table which would imply the family meal of the faithful, but at an altar which is essentially a place of sacrifice.’ Since Vatican II altars have been played down and tables are to be found in most churches. This is not a Protestant direction; it merely shows the confusion of memorial and sacrifice, for though the priest faces the people from behind the table, behind him is the old altar with the reserved sacrament.

In conclusion there are chapters including one dealing with developments in mariology, penance, indulgences, death and the hereafter, and a chapter on the basis of religious experience, ‘Can we be sure?’ This book should be read by all Christians, and can be fittingly given to Catholic friends.


Mike Garde

Mr Garde, a Baptist, studied at Maynooth Roman Catholic Seminary in Southern Ireland and is now at the London Mennonite Centre.