The Soft Tyranny of Sentimentalism

August 21, 2011 by Elizabeth Scalia

Continued from Page 3

Childlike or Childish?
By repeating Benedict's exhortations to maturity, am I suggesting that the Sentimentalist is immature, or childlike? Well, yes and no. There is no shame in being immature unless one steadfastly insists on remaining so, simply because it is expedient. But to be childlike is different from being childish. The first denotes a quality of innocent trust that one cannot cultivate while committed to cynicism and doubt, which is where the Sentimentalist resides. Children are not cynics and they push doubt away with both hands, because they want to believe. They know that without belief, there is nothing to hold on to but time, which is an illusion.

The world is a dangerous and complicated place in which the Church, populated and served by those flawed and faulty humans who seek their redemption in the worship of something greater than themselves, survives wholly through grace of the Holy Spirit. But the fact that it does still survive should indicate, as mankind cannot, God's presence within it.

Ultimately, our lives within the world and within the Church are between ourselves and God. One can stave off Sentimentalism by resisting the urge to get so caught up in the forest of trends and ideas that one cannot locate the Tree of Life which is the Church, or be nourished by its fruit, which has largely built and sustained the very culture some now believe has grown in wisdom by sawing off its own roots.

Page: 4 of 4

8/21/2011 4:00:00 AM

Catholic

History

Relativism

Christianity

Roman Catholicism

more at patheos

Top of the Country: Time's Ticking

Coyle Neal

INNER CIRCLE: Awakening To Reality

Keith Giles

The Saturday Evening Musings of a "Mean Teacher"

Beverly R. Green

What Side of the Cross are You on?

Rob Giannamore

About Elizabeth Scalia

Elizabeth Scalia is a weekly columnist at First Things.

Patheos Logo Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos