Personal Catholicism, by David Warren

David Warren is a former editor of the Idler magazine and columnist in Canadian newspapers. He has extensive experience in the Near and Far East. …

“Personalism” is just a word, but like many words, it has at least one meaning and can convey truth, or else falsehood. But as elements in doctrine, mere words must be carefully qualified. What can be expressed in language cannot encapsulate the whole, infinite truth. That is why doctrine seems to “evolve” — when in actuality we find more and more judicious ways of expressing it.

Doctrines don’t “evolve” in the sense that species are said to evolve. They don’t become different from what they were. They may be, however, expressed more completely, in time. …