Dangerous Reading

The threefold prohibition of reading dangerous to faith: natural law, the Index, and the Church's precept.

The works themselves ask 11 questions under this heading — see them together with their answers.

In the index as Reading · Sermons · Books (Libri) · Lust · Conversations (Colloquia) · Foul speech · Writings · Impure speeches (Sermones impudici) · Base · Parvity of matter · Pleasure · Bad conversations · Bishop · Boasting (Jactantia) · Book, prohibited books · Books lawful or unlawful in schools · Consummation · Cooperation · Divorce · Duelling · Election · Faith · Freemasonry · Hearers

In the manuals

Read the manuals side by side → — each work's whole treatment in its own column

Moral Theology: A Complete Course (McHugh & Callan)

John A. McHugh, O.P., and Charles J. Callan, O.P. — 18 passages

Vol. I, Pt. II, Q. I, Art. 2. The Sins Against F…, Dangerous Reading, nn. 849–866 (18 passages)

Compendium of Moral Theology of Fr. John Peter Gury, S.J., with the Notes of Antonio Ballerini, S.J.

Jean-Pierre Gury, S.J.; notes by Antonio Ballerini, S.J. — 9 passages

Vol. I, Treatise On the Precepts o…, On the Sixth and Ninth Pre…, Ch. I, Article III. On Immodest Conversations and Readings, nn. 419 & 420 (9 passages — hover a number to read it)

Synopsis of Moral and Pastoral Theology

Adolphe Tanquerey, S.S.

Vol. II, Supplement: On the Virtue of Chastity, n. 34 — 34. 5. Concerning the reading of books and attendance at theaters. These two excite the passions more or less, according as they display matters more or less luxurious, and at the same time according to the diverse perso… Read in context →

Pastoral Questions

Benedict H. Merkelbach, O.P. — 36 passages

Merkelbach, Pastoral Questions, I. Questions Concerning Ch…, On Chastity and Lust, Question Six: Concerning Internal Lust, nn. ¶424, ¶425, ¶426, ¶427, ¶428, ¶429, ¶430, ¶431, ¶432, ¶433, ¶434 & ¶435 (12 passages — hover a number to read it)

Ch. III, Question VI: Concerning the Worldly, nn. ¶2976–¶2999 (24 passages)

Institutiones Morales Alphonsianae

Clement Marc, C.SS.R. — 6 passages

Vol. I, Pt. II, Sect. II, Tr. VI, Ch. III, ARTICLE I: On Shameful Speech and the Reading of Obscene Things, nn. ¶1, ¶2, ¶808, ¶809, ¶810 & ¶811 (6 passages — hover a number to read it)

Theologia Moralis Sancti Alphonsi: Reduced into a Compendium

Anthony Konings, C.SS.R. — 5 passages

Vol. I, TREATISE ON THE PRECEPTS O…, Ch. II, ARTICLE III: ON BASE SPEECH AND THE READING OF OBSCENE THINGS, nn. ¶491 & ¶492 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. II, TREATISE ON THE SACRAMENT …, PART THIRD: ON THE MINISTE…, Ch. II, Art. I, § II. On the Manner of Acting with Various Kinds of Penitents, nn. ¶13, ¶1448 & ¶1449 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Summa Theologiae Moralis

Benedict Henry Merkelbach, O.P. — 8 passages

Vol. I, Special Moral Theology, Treatise: On Divine Faith, Fourth Part: On the Vices …, Question Two: On Sins Indi…, Article III: On the Reading and Dissemination of Prohibited Writings, n. 769 (8 passages — hover a number to read it)

Compendium of Moral Theology

Aloysius Sabetti, S.J., and Timothy Barrett, S.J. — 2 passages

Vol. I, Tr. VI, On the Sixth and Ninth Pre…, Ch. I, Article IV. On Impure Speech and Readings, nn. 287 & 288 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Cases of Conscience for English-Speaking Countries, Volume I

Thomas Slater, S.J. — 26 passages

Slater, Cases I, The Sixth Commandment, Case 1. Lectio Periculosa, nn. ¶1, ¶2, ¶3, ¶4, ¶5, ¶6, ¶7, ¶8, ¶9, ¶10, ¶11, ¶12 & ¶13 (13 passages — hover a number to read it)

Slater, Cases I, The Sixth Commandment, Case 2. Lectio Librorum Romanticorum, nn. ¶1, ¶2, ¶3, ¶4, ¶5, ¶6, ¶7, ¶8, ¶9, ¶10, ¶11, ¶12 & ¶13 (13 passages — hover a number to read it)

Treated under the broader heading Evil Writings — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology — this work does not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so its treatment stands one heading up (ed.)