The Charitable Anathema Part I: Positive and Negative Thinking – Is the Glass Half-Full?

From time to time when I cannot come up with something interesting to write I tend to look upon others work for inspiration. With that in mind I want to introduce The Johnson Letters’ first series of posting with a unified theme: The Charitable Anathema by Dietrich von Hildebrand. Briefly, the book is a collection of von Hildebrand’s essays concerning the post-Vatican II Catholic Church and the various ideological trends that have influenced the modern Church.

One essay, “Positive and Negative Thinking”, struck me recently in light of an ongoing debate with several people regarding the way in which one should approach the malaises of the post-Vatican II Church. Dietrich von Hildebrand’s thoughts left me with the inevitable question of paradigm: is the glass half full or half empty?

First, von Hildebrand writes

To judge an attitude without consulting the object to which is refers is to ignore the question of relevance. And to praise an assertion for being “positive”, or to deride a denial or criticism for being “negative”, tells us nothing about the truth of the thesis or the denied proposition. A true proposition should be asserted; a false proposition, denied or refuted.

In other words, one must retain some sense of objectivity when evaluating a particular attitude and refrain from the label of positive or negative. These labels become “deceptive slogans” when misused in this fashion. His argument is focused primarily on an anathema is charitable – it is on behalf of the truth and the good that false opinions are denied and refuted. Specifically, it is the mission of the Holy Church to denounce heresy and heretics in order to defend the faithful from error. This mission is “indissolubly linked” to the announcement of Divine revelation and the missionary zeal which the message of Jesus Christ should be spread. In fact, in the 2,000 year history of the Church, most doctrinal definitions came about by means of refuting a particular heresy that attacked a specific point of Christian belief.

Liberalism is the sin of the age and the modernism that inspires it is perhaps the final heresy the Church will have to destroy. Yet many decry as “negative” the denial and refutation of these errors in practical matters. Positive thinking Churchmen decry the “narrowness” and “lack of charity” of traditionalist criticisms of the post-Conciliar Church. Instead, they ask for traditionalists to be “positive” and emphasize what is true in new theories and opinions, rather than negatively emphasize their imperfections. I understand that this may seem like a hard hearted approach to conversion from error to truth, but anathema can be charitable if pronounced with the utmost humility.

Now on towards the question of half glass test – I would like to offer a brief apologia of viewing the modern Church as a glass that is only half full (a day after the anniversary of summorum pontificum, one might make the argument its three-quarters full). Like von Hildebrand’s article I see the optimist being given a pat on the back for positive thinking, while the pessimist is demonized for negativity. I proudly declare myself to be an ecclesiastical pessimist (though not to the detriment of the resilient optimists).

While only a personality test meant to reveal the perspective in which one sees a glass of water – it subtly reveals the way in which people view the modern Church. The glorified optimist is happy with the half full glass of water; the reviled pessimist, confused and angry that the glass is not full. Half is not enough for the pessimist to be satisfied! The current state of the Church is not enough for one to be satisfied! The fight for tradition continues. A Pope committed to a growing minority that has been ostracized for the last forty years has rightfully liberated the Immemorial Mass 366 days ago! The fight for tradition continues.

It will take the constant action of a committed (and growing) minority committed to the unfailing light of tradition kept alive by charity. It will take a spirit of profound humility. And it will take years of penance and prayer to fill the glass and the rebuild the Church – to heal the battered Bride of Christ.


Continue to pray and make acts of reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus who is so often maligned and offended. Especially pray for the intercession of Our Lady under the title of Immaculatta – Who Has Destroyed All Heresies to watch over the Church and especially Benedict our Pope. And remember me as well.

Ad Meioram Dei Gloriam