Provincial Letters: Containing An Exposure Of The Reasoning And Morals Of The Jesuits - Softcover

Blaise Pascal

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0371438632 ISBN 13: 9780371438633

Publisher: HardPress, 2021

Synopsis

Provincial Letters: Containing An Exposure Of The Reasoning And Morals Of The Jesuits by Blaise Pascal. A classic mid?17th?century polemic, the work presents a series of satirical letters (begun in 1656) in which an unnamed correspondent interrogates and exposes what he calls the Jesuits’ flexible and often evasive moral theology. Pascal attacks a distinctive Jesuit approach to casuistry—its use of probable opinions, the manipulation of terms, and the distinction between speculation and practice—to justify actions ranging from lax penitence to homicide, simony, usury, almsgiving, and other ethical issues. The Letters depict a war of ideas between Jansenists and their opponents, tracing how the Jesuits purportedly harmonize conscience with political convenience through elaborate systems of ambiguity, direction of intention, and the doctrine of grace. The volume also includes a supplementary “View of the History of the Jesuits,” outlining the order’s rise, structure, wealth, and influence across Europe. Written in brisk, lucid prose, the text combines sharp wit, polemical rigor, and a sustained critique of ecclesiastical power, urging readers to test claims against Scripture, tradition, and common sense.

Edition details

• Publisher: HardPress
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0371438632
• ISBN 13: 9780371438633
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 329