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Book Quote by Pope Pius XII

“Henceforth it will be the task of this Sacred Congregation not only to examine carefully the books denounced to it, to prohibit them if necessary, and to grant permission for reading forbidden books, but also to supervise, ex officio, books that are being published, and to pass sentence on such as…” quote by Pope Pius XII
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“Henceforth it will be the task of this Sacred Congregation not only to examine carefully the books denounced to it, to prohibit them if necessary, and to grant permission for reading forbidden books, but also to supervise, ex officio, books that are being published, and to pass sentence on such as deserve to be prohibited.”

Pope Pius XII

About This Quote

Source Apostolic Letter: Divino Afflante Spiritu, 1943

The Church asserts authority to regulate reading material, balancing censorship with guidance to protect doctrine.

In simple terms: The Church controls which books are allowed.

Key Takeaway

Guard doctrinal purity.

Themes

authority censorship religion knowledge

Mood

serious reflective

Type

institutional ethical

When to use this quote

  • library policy
  • education
  • publishing
  • public discourse

Key Concepts

theology ecclesiastical law information control

Questions to Reflect On

  • Should religious institutions limit access to ideas?
  • How can we balance protection and freedom of thought?
A Different Perspective

Risk of suppressing legitimate scholarship.

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