Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 197

§ 49.

CuAi'. Ill]

little as naturalistic

TWO KINDS OF SCIENCE

173

science in scientificallj' bringing to a suc-

end the conflict between these different schools and tendencies on its own ground, it is still the task of science cessful

also within the realm of palingenesis constantly to test the

assertions of these several tendencies, for the sake of en-

hancing the clearness of their self-consciousness. This brings us of itself to the second objection that the liberty of this science is impeded hy the ecclesiastical placet. This also must be denied. There is no instituted church :

(ecclesia instituta) conceivable without a placet;

position of an investigator,

whose

and the

results antagonize this ec-

clesiastical placet, is thereby rendered false and untenable but this does not impede the prosecution of science in the In the first place the church, as instituted church, least. never passes sentence upon that which has no bearing upon "saving faith." Even the church of Rome, which goes far;

thest in this respect, leaves the greater part of the object

Again, this church placet is itself the result of a spirwhich was developed b}^ contradictions, and in which the controversy was scientific on both sides. Hence it is every man's duty and calling constantly to test by sciAnd entific methods the grounds advanced from either side. if, in the third place, an investigator becomes convinced that tYiQ placet of the church is an unjust inference from Revela-

free.

itual conflict,

he must try to prove this to his church, and if she will not allow him this privilege, he must leave her. This would not be possible if the church were a scientific institute,

tion,

Hence

but no instituted church advances this claim.

man

realm of palingenesis one remains a

in the

of science, even

though he may lose his harmony with the church of his birth and it is not science, but honesty and the sense of morality, which in such a case compels a man to break with his church. This, however, occurs but rarely, partly because the churches ;

allow considerable latitude

in general

position

especially,

partly because a false

but more

because the churchly types are not

arbitrarily

untenable

chosen, but of necessity have risen life.

;

;

does

not seem

to

many

from the constellation

Since the scientific investigator,

who

is

of

connected wii\\

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