Hanseng Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 The first of these is termed probabilism. This is a device which enables a man to commit any act, be it ever so manifest a breach of the moral and Divine law, without the least restraint of conscience, remorse of mind, or guilt before God. What is probabilism? By way of answer, we shall suppose that a man has a great mind to do a certain act, of the lawfulness of which he is in doubt. He finds that there are two opinions upon the point: the one probably true, to the effect that the act is lawful; the other more probably true, to the effect that the act is sinful. Under the Jesuit regimen the man is at liberty to act upon the probable opinion. The act is probably right, but more probably wrong, nevertheless he is safe in doing it, in virtue of the doctrine of probabilism. It is important to ask, what makes all opinion probable? To make an opinion probable a Jesuit finds easy indeed. If a single doctor has pronounced in its favor, though a score of doctors may have condemned it, or if the man can imagine in his own mind something like a tolerable reason for doing the act, the opinion that it is lawful becomes probable. It will be hard to name an act for which a Jesuit authority may not be produced, and harder still to find a man whose invention is so poor as not to furnish him with what he deems a good reason for doing what he is inclined to, and therefore it may be pronounced impossible to instance a deed, however manifestly opposed to the light of nature and the law of God, which may not be committed under the shield of the monstrous dogma of probabilism. Wylie, J.A., History of Protestantism Book 15, chapter 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Gregory Matthews Posted August 16, 2023 Moderators Share Posted August 16, 2023 A more comprehensive source for understanding probabilism and its history may be found at the website below. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probabilism It is actually an ancient philosophy that was not founded by any Christian religious group. At a later time, it was defended by some Jesuit theologians. But, it has also been critiqued by Catholics. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia In theology and philosophy, probabilism (from Latin probare, to test, approve) is an ancient Greek doctrine of Academic skepticism.[1] It holds that in the absence of certainty, plausibility or truth-likeness is the best criterion. The term can also refer to a 17th-century religious thesis about ethics, or a modern physical-philosophical thesis. Philosophy[edit] Ancient[edit] See also: Academic skepticism and Carneades In ancient Greek philosophy, probabilism referred to the doctrine which gives assistance in ordinary matters to one who is skeptical in respect of the possibility of real knowledge: it supposes that though knowledge is impossible, a man may rely on strong beliefs in practical affairs. This view was held by the skeptics of the New Academy. Academic skeptics accept probabilism, while Pyrrhonian skeptics do not.[2] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theology[edit] Main article: Catholic Probabilism In moral theology, especially Catholic, it refers especially to the view in casuistry that in difficult matters of conscience one may safely follow a doctrine that is probable, for example is approved by a recognized Doctor of the Church, even if the opposite opinion is more probable. This view was advanced by the Spanish theologian Bartolomé de Medina (1527–1581)[citation needed] and defended by many Jesuits such as Luis Molina (1528–1581)[citation needed]. It was heavily criticised by Blaise Pascal in his Provincial Letters[citation needed] and by St. Alphonsus Ligourí in his Theologia Moralis,[3] as leading to moral laxity. Opposed to probabilism is probabiliorism (Latin probabilior, "more likely"), which holds that when there is a preponderance of evidence on one side of a controversy one is obliged to follow that side, and tutiorism (Latin tutior, "safer"), which holds that in case of doubt one must take the morally safer side. A more radical view, "minus probabilissimus", holds that an action is permissible if a single opinion allowing that action is available, even if the overwhelming weight of opinion proscribes it. The doctrine became particularly popular at the start of the 17th century, as it could be used to support almost any position. By mid-century, such thinking, termed Laxism, was recognized as scandalous.[4] Quote Gregory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanseng Posted August 18, 2023 Author Share Posted August 18, 2023 Jesuit regicide, "the consecrated dagger." The lawfulness of killing excommunicated, that is Protestant, kings, the Jesuit writers have been at great pains to maintain, and by a great variety of arguments to defend and enforce. The proof is as abundant as it is painful. M. de la Chalotais reports to the Parliament of Bretagne, as the result of his examination of the laws and doctrines of the Jesuits, that on this point there is a complete and startling unanimity in their teaching. By the same logical track do the whole host of Jesuit writers arrive at the same terrible conclusion, the slaughter, namely, of the sovereign on whom the Pope has pronounced sentence of deposition. If he shall take meekly his extrusion from Power, and seek neither to resist nor revenge his being hurled from his throne, his life may be spared; but should "he persist in disobedience," says M. de la Chalotais, himself a Papist, and addressing a Popish Parliament, "he may be treated as a tyrant, in which case anybody may kill him.[1] Such is the course of reasoning established by all authors of the society, who have written ex professo on these subjects—Bellarmine, Suarez, Molina, Mariana, Santarel—all the Ultramontanes without exception, since the establishment of the society."[2] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanseng Posted August 18, 2023 Author Share Posted August 18, 2023 Source for quote on Jesuit regicide: Wylie, J.A., History of Protestantism (1878). Book 15, chapter 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanseng Posted August 19, 2023 Author Share Posted August 19, 2023 Those who are interested in the history of the Jesuits can read book 15 in volume 2 of Wylie's History of Protestantism here: https://text.egwwritings.org/book/b900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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