Friday, September 08, 2006
FROM GALLICANISM TO SILLONISM
A key to understanding the contemporary Roman Catholic scene is "Gallicanism" which is described by the New Catholic Dictionary as "A body of doctrines which found particular favor in the French or Gallican Church, and tended to limit the power of the pope in favor of the bishops and also to extend unduly the power of the State over eccletliastical (sic) affairs".
Ecclesiastical Gallicanism, according to the Dictionary, stems from the Great Western Schism which obscured the idea of the Pope's supremacy. Political Gallicanism can be traced to the Byzantine emperors who interfered in religious affairs.
One of the first promoters of Gallicanism according to the Dictionary was the Franciscan William of Occam, who "denied the divine origin of the papal primacy" in the 14th century and promoted the conciliar theory. The debate was taken up by the Council of Constance (1414-1418) which is credited with the Birth of Gallicanism. It died away during the 16th century, was revived after the death of Henry IV, was endorsed by the Sorbonne. The French Revolution, which drove the bishops into the arms of the Pope, curtailed Gallicanism, though it still had some proponents at the time of the First Vatican Council which struck a death blow to Gallicanism. After the Vatican Council Gallican beliefs were held only by the Old Catholics. It is Gallicanism which lies behind the Vilatte Succession which also seems to be (or to encompass) the Vintras line which would appear to import Satanism into the esoteric movements.
According to the Bogaard History of Gnosticism, Part II:
Bricaud was, like many Martinists at the time, also a disciple of "Le Maitre Philippe". Bricaud studied "the rites of Willermoz and Pernety, the Elus Cohen, Stricte Observance, les Philalèthes, and les Philadelphes. In 1911 he helped Téder and Edouard Blitz (1) in developing "new ideas" with relation to the recruitment of members. In 1914 Bricaud established a 'Martinist movement' based on the ideas of 1911. These ideas were based on the rules of [the Freemason] Willermoz and his successor, Antoine Pont (Blitz was Pont's successor in the U.S.A., Téder and Fugairon were the successors in France), which were the rules of the C.B.C.S., 'Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte', which included the rites of the Elus Cohen. In 1914 Téder appointed Bricaud Légat of the Order for the provence of Lyon (Bricaud lived in Lyon)". Source: Chapter "The Martinist Rituals", "O.M. de Papus 1891-1916". According to Bishop Bertil Persson of the St.Ephraim Institute in Stockholm, Bricaud was also reconsecrated by Albert Rene Laurain de Lignieres on May 20th, 1914. Laurain de Lignieres was a Bishop ('Vilatte-succession') in the Église Catholique Gallicane.
Through Bricaud, Lyon, France was a center of the Gallican Church.
According to Mike Restivo's "Rose+Croix Martinist Order":
The Rose+Croix Mrtinist Order, alone among Martinism, represents a return to the pure Christian Mystical tradition suggested by Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin.
The Rose+Croix seeks initiation, as do all Martinist orders, but rejects the magical aspects of the esoteric orders. The Rose+Croix is more attuned to study and improvement in the student's moral condition. This, however, is similar to the teachings of the Masonic Lodge, and thus to the teachings of Willermoz. However, Restivo also writes:
Thusly, the only real Initiation is the one directly from God in the form of Christ-Consciousness. No human can impart this spiritual anointing by which Christian Mystics and Martinists seek to emulate the Disciples in the Upper Room on Pentecost. The Baptism of Fire by the Holy Spirit or Transfiguration, is the Initiation for which the Christian Mystic strives. All other forms are substitutes and facsimiles employed by people who have unjustifiably appropriated to themselves the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Cf. (2 Tim 3:5 KJV) "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
Thus in studying Martinism we arrive at Pentecostalism, but Pentecostalism devoid of doctrine is an open door to Satanism, and Satanism lies at the heart of the modern Martinist movement.
With that in mind, I'd like to turn to Sillonism--its rejection by the Church in the mid-1900s, and its rebirth today.
First the rebirth.
Next, the influence of Joseph Cardijn.
Which leads to the Cardijn Lay Community and to their New Pentecost 2006 and to the New Pentecost Forum.
On the Vatican website Puerto Rican bishops provide an exhortation to the nation's ecclesial community on the Holy Spirit and Pentecostalism. The exhortation makes it clear that Pentecost has been with us since the Apostlolic event. There is no "new" Pentecost, and new movements must seek the "full return to the practice of the sacraments".
Next time I'll explore the Sillon in greater depth.
