Modernism and the Fight for Marriage

In an essay linked to the evolution of the Christmas proclamation (!!) we find this paragraph from Pope St. Pius X:

"Hence it is quite impossible to maintain that they absolutely contain the truth: for, in so far as they are symbols, they are the images of truth, and so must be adapted to the religious sense in its relation to man; and as instruments, they are the vehicles of truth, and must therefore in their turn be adapted to man in his relation to the religious sense. But the object of the religious sense, as something contained in the absolute, possesses an infinite variety of aspects, of which now one, now another, may present itself. In like manner he who believes can avail himself of varying conditions. Consequently, the formulas which we call dogma must be subject to these vicissitudes, and are, therefore, liable to change. Thus the way is open to the intrinsic evolution of dogma. Here we have an immense structure of sophisms which ruin and wreck all religion".

Hmmmm.  The essay's author 'splains that this way:

...Pius X noted that the evolution of dogma proceeds from the principle of vital immanence, the belief that all religious truth is ultimately a reflection of the internal experience of individuals. Because the experiences and spiritual needs of individuals are liable to change, the meaning of the truths of the faith required by people must change as well...

It does not require too much imagination to understand 'changing experiences and spiritual needs' as the basis for the contention of some Churchmen that Catholics who are civilly re-"married" following divorce are not objectively living in sin, for such a "change" in living arrangements necessitates a "change" in Church teaching on the topic.  (Mutatis mutandis, this theory would apply to homosexual "marriage" as well.)

Another, more broadly stated, expression of the Modernist thought, condemned by Pius X, is this:

"Dogmas, Sacraments and hierarchy, both their notion and reality, are only interpretations and evolutions of the Christian intelligence which have increased and perfected by an external series of additions the little germ latent in the Gospel"

What Pius condemned does not include licit development of doctrine; the condemnation is reserved to material changes in "notion and reality" which contradict or undermine dogmatic teachings.

(There is a rough analogy between the thought of Modernists and political Progressives, by the way.  They are brothers.  For that matter, and by no coincidence, Marxism is also a brother:  "The doctrine of modern Communism, which is often concealed under the most seductive trappings, is in substance based on the principles of dialectical and historical materialism previously advocated by Marx, of which the theoricians of bolshevism claim to possess the only genuine interpretation. According to this doctrine there is in the world only one reality, matter, the blind forces of which evolve into plant, animal and man. Even human society is nothing but a phenomenon and form of matter, evolving in the same way. ... In a word, the Communists claim to inaugurate a new era and a new civilization which is the result of blind evolutionary forces culminating in a humanity without God"  --Pius XI, 1937)

Despite his best efforts, Pius X was unable to root out Modernism and its adherents from the Church.  They continue their efforts.  Nothing is new under the sun.