ivine, is the hereditary enemy of the true
Church and at the same time denotes the essence of Catholicism. See,
e.g., p. 2: "The whole essence of Catholicism consists in its declaring
legal institutions to be necessary to the Church." Page 700: "The
essence of Church law is incompatible with the essence of the Church."
This thesis really characterises Catholicism well and contains a great
truth, if expressed in more careful terms, somewhat as follows: "The
assertion that there is a divine Church law (emanating from Christ, or,
in other words, from the Apostles), which is necessary to the spiritual
character of the Church and which in fact is a token of this very
attribute, is incompatible with the essence of the Gospel and is the
mark of a pseudo-Catholicism." But the thesis contains too narrow a view
of the case. For the divine Church law is only one feature of the
essence of the Catholic Church, though a very important element, which
Sohm, as a jurist, was peculiarly capable of recognising. The whole
essence of Catholicism, however, consists in the deification of
tradition generally. The declaration that the empirical institutions of
the Church, created for and necessary to this purpose, are apostolic, a
declaration which amalgamates them with the essence and content of the
Gospel and places them beyond all criticism, is the peculiarly
"Catholic" feature. Now, as a great part of these institutions cannot be
inwardly appropriated and cannot really amalgamate with faith and piety,
it is self-evident that such portions become continued: legal
ordinances, to which obedience must be rendered. For no other relation
to these ordinances can be conceived. Hence the legal regulations and
the corresponding slavish devotion come to have such immense scope in
Catholicism, and well-nigh express its essence. But behind this is found
the more general conviction that the empirical Church, as it actually
exists, is the authentic, pure, and infallible creation: its doctrine,
its regulations, its religious ceremonial are apostolic. Whoever doubts
that renounces Christ. Now, if, as in the case of the Reformers, this
conception be recognised as erroneous and unevangelical, the result must
certainly be a strong detestation of "the divine Church law." Indeed,
the inclination to sweep away all Church law is quite intelligible, for
when you give the devil your little finger he takes the whole hand. But,
on the other hand, it cannot be imagined h