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Survivals and New Arrivals: Old and New Enemies of the Catholic Church
Here Belloc analyzes the various intellectual attacks on the Church in the last two centuries, showing how each thrived for a time before disintegrating; then he analyzes the two ultimate enemies which we see everywhere today! Says the temporal fate of the world depends upon the health of the Catholic Church. Essential ideas to understand where we are and where we need to go from here to rebuild civilization.
167 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1929
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225 people want to read
About the author
Hilaire Belloc
732 books410 followersPeople considered Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc, French-born British writer, as a master of light English prose and also knew widely his droll verse, especially
The Bad Child's Book of Beasts
in 1896.
Sharp wit of Hilaire Belloc, an historian, poet, and orator, extended across literary output and strong political and religious convictions. Oxford educated this distinguished debater and scholar. Throughout his career, he prolifically across a range of genres and produced histories, essays, travelogues, poetry, and satirical works.
Cautionary Tales for Children collects best humorous yet dark morals, and historical works of Hilaire Belloc often reflected his staunch Catholicism and critique of Protestant interpretations. He led advocates of an economic theory that promotes and championed distribution of small-scale property ownership as a middle ground between capitalism and socialism alongside Gilbert Keith Chesterton, his close friend.
In politics, Hilaire Belloc served as a member of Parliament for the Liberal party, but the establishment disillusioned him. His polemical style and strong opinions made a controversial figure, who particularly viewed modernism, secularism, and financial capitalism as threats to traditional Christian society in his critiques.
Influence and vast literary legacy of Hilaire Belloc extends into historical circles. Erudition, humor, and a forceful rhetorical style characterized intellectual vigor and unique perspective, which people continue to study and to appreciate, on history, society, and human nature.
Sharp wit of Hilaire Belloc, an historian, poet, and orator, extended across literary output and strong political and religious convictions. Oxford educated this distinguished debater and scholar. Throughout his career, he prolifically across a range of genres and produced histories, essays, travelogues, poetry, and satirical works.
Cautionary Tales for Children collects best humorous yet dark morals, and historical works of Hilaire Belloc often reflected his staunch Catholicism and critique of Protestant interpretations. He led advocates of an economic theory that promotes and championed distribution of small-scale property ownership as a middle ground between capitalism and socialism alongside Gilbert Keith Chesterton, his close friend.
In politics, Hilaire Belloc served as a member of Parliament for the Liberal party, but the establishment disillusioned him. His polemical style and strong opinions made a controversial figure, who particularly viewed modernism, secularism, and financial capitalism as threats to traditional Christian society in his critiques.
Influence and vast literary legacy of Hilaire Belloc extends into historical circles. Erudition, humor, and a forceful rhetorical style characterized intellectual vigor and unique perspective, which people continue to study and to appreciate, on history, society, and human nature.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 16, 2021
It’s a shame this has such a weird title, as it is likely one of Belloc’s best works. It outlines the various threats to the Church, whether lingering, in full force, or just coming onto the horizons.
In any case, though it is somewhat dated, that only means it verges on the prophetic. Belloc predicted that a new paganism would be the dominant mood in the West and main opponent of the Church, and he has certainly been proved right. Nationalism, anti-clericalism, and modernity, have all morphed into a type of paganism that the Church must combat.
He is also right in saying that as the temperament of the West becomes more anti-Christian, we are in a good place, as the Church has always thrived and expanded under opposition.
In any case, though it is somewhat dated, that only means it verges on the prophetic. Belloc predicted that a new paganism would be the dominant mood in the West and main opponent of the Church, and he has certainly been proved right. Nationalism, anti-clericalism, and modernity, have all morphed into a type of paganism that the Church must combat.
He is also right in saying that as the temperament of the West becomes more anti-Christian, we are in a good place, as the Church has always thrived and expanded under opposition.
June 21, 2013
It is very common for me to read books where the authors express themselves clearly on some matter, propounding a rational argument well-grounded in logic and incontrovertible observations, but then go batshit insane when they touch on current affairs. In fact, it is rather more common than not.
But usually, the world being what it is today, authors go batshit insane in a wearily predictable ‘left-wing’ way. In this book Hilaire Belloc goes batshit insane in a ‘right-wing’ way, and since current affairs for him means 1929, it was quite traumatic for me.
Belloc is spot-on when he is talking about how the ‘Modern Mind’ has abandoned scientific principles, and coasts along on winds of incoherent sentimentalism, considering things to be proven or disproven on flimsy evidence from unreliable authorities. He is spot-on when he is talking about the corrosive effects of the New Paganism and the ever-more-meddling State. He correctly sizes up Islam as the one true existing religious rival to Catholicism, and warns that its weakness at the time he writes is an accident of history, not a permanent state arising from some innate superiority of the West.
But politically, Belloc is incoherent. Of all the regimes in the world, the only ones he finds it in himself to admire are the dictatorships of Mussolini in Italy and de Rivera in Spain. He does not place the struggle between Church and State in the Catholic world in its proper context, as part of a millennia-long struggle between believing Catholics over real and complex problems. (I wonder what he said about Dante’s De Monarchia? I guess I should look it up.)
If the sort of unworkable theocracy Belloc apparently advocates is a true reflection of the political guidance coming from the Vatican in the 1920s, it is no wonder the 20th century was such a balls-up. :(
But usually, the world being what it is today, authors go batshit insane in a wearily predictable ‘left-wing’ way. In this book Hilaire Belloc goes batshit insane in a ‘right-wing’ way, and since current affairs for him means 1929, it was quite traumatic for me.
Belloc is spot-on when he is talking about how the ‘Modern Mind’ has abandoned scientific principles, and coasts along on winds of incoherent sentimentalism, considering things to be proven or disproven on flimsy evidence from unreliable authorities. He is spot-on when he is talking about the corrosive effects of the New Paganism and the ever-more-meddling State. He correctly sizes up Islam as the one true existing religious rival to Catholicism, and warns that its weakness at the time he writes is an accident of history, not a permanent state arising from some innate superiority of the West.
But politically, Belloc is incoherent. Of all the regimes in the world, the only ones he finds it in himself to admire are the dictatorships of Mussolini in Italy and de Rivera in Spain. He does not place the struggle between Church and State in the Catholic world in its proper context, as part of a millennia-long struggle between believing Catholics over real and complex problems. (I wonder what he said about Dante’s De Monarchia? I guess I should look it up.)
If the sort of unworkable theocracy Belloc apparently advocates is a true reflection of the political guidance coming from the Vatican in the 1920s, it is no wonder the 20th century was such a balls-up. :(
June 13, 2014
This book hit me with terrific force - sent me reeling. Perhaps Belloc's most profound work. Chillingly prophetic ...
I say more as to why here: http://corjesusacratissimum.org/2012/...
I say more as to why here: http://corjesusacratissimum.org/2012/...
May 21, 2018
Excellent. Penultimate chapter - prophetic.
January 30, 2021
Belloc's resume on the subject of piety is a vital necessity in the humans life. For a conscious life per se , there must be a connection between the natural and the supernatural . Belloc explores so many barriers that create salient regressive patterns in religion , where the questions come in as, Which is the right? Who is right? What proves? What do you know? The church has had her enemies from the time when Jesus was ministering amongst men. And this was , even before. Talk of perversions.Depravity.
Read this book to find out your locus.
Read this book to find out your locus.
April 14, 2025
Mea culpa, I only read half of this. A clever premise underpins the work: the present moment is always a confluence of ebbing heresies and flowing new ones. But what are the new ones? I think Belloc succeeds more in identifying the survivals more than the arrivals and would recommend "The Great Heresies" first, but not instead, if you were thinking of delving in to this area.
March 21, 2015
This book is a great follow up to The Great Heresies! Now granted the author wrote this book in 1929 on the Start of the Great Depression, Before World War II, and long before the Second Vatican Council of the 60s, in fact he died the early 1950s.
Yet despite all of this, his writing is still immensely helpful and perhaps even prophetic, for those "New Arrivals" he wrote on have indeed become the Main Opposition of our day, and the spirit of his "Survivals" are still present to this day, in the time of his "Main Opposition" we see that it is still enduring to this day as well. What a unique opportunity the devout Catholic Reader of Today has to assess and reassess where Mr. Belloc has been right and where his suggestions can best be applied.
His examination nonetheless of Opportunities I think the Church ended up dropping the Ball on after Vatican II: Catechist and Morals have become obfuscated in the Church, and only as of late are we beginning to really ascertain the sense of Continuity between the Pre- and Post-Conciliar Church once again, even Neo-Modernism is still alive and well in the Church this day which only hurts our ability to address the various camps that are all united in taking down the Church and the Civilization she founded.
Ironically, Mr. Belloc did not believe that there would be a small high quality Faithful Minority in the future [this is where we are now] but rather their would be a Catholic Moment bringing about great numbers of people once again [there is an appearance of this right now I believe] but only after the one thing that guarantees Growth of the Church on Earth: Persecution, and this is where we are headed, not only in faraway Islamic lands but even in the countries that have lost their [nominal] Christian standing.
Yet despite all of this, his writing is still immensely helpful and perhaps even prophetic, for those "New Arrivals" he wrote on have indeed become the Main Opposition of our day, and the spirit of his "Survivals" are still present to this day, in the time of his "Main Opposition" we see that it is still enduring to this day as well. What a unique opportunity the devout Catholic Reader of Today has to assess and reassess where Mr. Belloc has been right and where his suggestions can best be applied.
His examination nonetheless of Opportunities I think the Church ended up dropping the Ball on after Vatican II: Catechist and Morals have become obfuscated in the Church, and only as of late are we beginning to really ascertain the sense of Continuity between the Pre- and Post-Conciliar Church once again, even Neo-Modernism is still alive and well in the Church this day which only hurts our ability to address the various camps that are all united in taking down the Church and the Civilization she founded.
Ironically, Mr. Belloc did not believe that there would be a small high quality Faithful Minority in the future [this is where we are now] but rather their would be a Catholic Moment bringing about great numbers of people once again [there is an appearance of this right now I believe] but only after the one thing that guarantees Growth of the Church on Earth: Persecution, and this is where we are headed, not only in faraway Islamic lands but even in the countries that have lost their [nominal] Christian standing.
Want to read
January 7, 2010Recommended by James Schall in Another Sort of Learning, Chapter 12, as one of Ten Books by Hilaire Belloc Well Worth Reading.
Included in the "History and Culture" section of Fr. John McCloskey's 100-book Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan.
Included in the "History and Culture" section of Fr. John McCloskey's 100-book Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan.
June 5, 2014
Average. It read like the ramblings of a traditionalist blogger tbh.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews