I recently received an email from an ex-Catholic who has converted to Eastern Orthodoxy. It was a kind letter explaining why he thinks I’m wrong about his religion and my own religion. He wrote, “But before you can delve into the complexities of Orthodoxy it is best to figure out why Roman Catholicism is false. I am attaching a great book by Guettee for you. Read it and refute it if you think you can. You would be the first.”
It’s clear from the letter that the gentleman who sent me the Guettée book holds to the same position and understanding of the Catholic Church and papacy as Guettée.
Father Vladimir Guettée (born Réné-Francois Guettée, 1816 – 1892), was a renowned French historian and Catholic priest who converted to the Eastern Orthodox. He is portrayed by the Eastern Orthodox as a Catholic priest who accidentally stumbled upon the truth and became convinced of it, thus, converting to Orthodoxy.
After reading the 170 plus pages from Guettée’s work, [1] it was easy to see where the Protestants got many of their arguments against Catholicism. I was excited to publish a refutation. However, I would not be the first to read and refute Guettée . That honor goes to Orestes Augustus Brownson (September 16, 1803 – April 17, 1876) who thoroughly demolishes Guettée’s arguments. Thanks to a good friend who sent me Brownson’s work, I realized that I could never do what Brownson did so eloquently. I was totally captivated by his refutation of Guettée. It is 53 pages of pure brilliance, pure logic, and pure genius. Comparing Guettée with Brownson, would be like comparing a quack with Aquinas and that’s no exaggeration. I was blown away!
Orestes Augustus Brownson (1803 – 1876) was a renowned Catholic convert and a prolific writer. He is one of the greatest intellectual thinkers of the 19th century.
Here’s what Wikipedia says about him:
Peter J. Stanlis has pointed out that “In the generation following the founding fathers of the American republic, Orestes Brownson (1803–1876), together with John C. Calhoun, was probably the most original and profound political thinker of the nineteenth century. Woodrow Wilson considered his most important book, The American Republic (1865), the best study of the American constitution.”[37]
Additionally, Brownson was held in high regard by many European intellectuals and theologians, including Auguste Joseph Alphonse Gratry, who called Brownson “the keenest critic of the 19th century, an indomitable logician, a disinterested lover of truth, a sage, as sharp as Aristotle, as lofty as Plato.”[38] Great Britain’s Lord Acton visited with Brownson and later wrote that “Intellectually, no American I have met comes near him.” [39]
I’m glad the Eastern Orthodox gentleman who sent me Guettée’s work made it so clear that he holds to the same position and understanding of the Catholic Church and papacy as Guettée because Brownson makes it so clear that Guettée did not understand the Catholic Church and the papacy at all!
Not only does Brownson prove Guettée wrong, he proves the Catholic Church true and the Eastern Orthodox false.
Brownson’s work is an absolute must read for all who desire the truth of the Christian Faith.
In case the above link to Brownson’s work fails, try https://books.google.com/books?id=0qQ-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA474
It ends on page 527. This work should be spread far and wide.
Footnote
[1] To read Guettée’s book, click and repeat guettee_thepapacy(3)
Acts of the Apostles 5:32 “And we are witnesses of these things and the Holy Ghost who God hath given to all that obey him. ” All Schismatics start with disobedience as they fall into error they are cut off of the truth that the Holy Ghost provides. Sin cuts us off from God’s grace. Without the Churches guidance through the Holy Spirit, one will believe any myth, lie or heresy.
I like Orestes Brownson, he was holy and brilliant
Article on Orthodoxy and Filioque on 1 Peter Five.
https://onepeterfive.com/filioque-separated-east/
God bless,
Nishant X
john pontrello has responded to this, arguing that brownson was a heretic according to catholic standards, and that he actually agrees with pontrello contra sedevacantism. https://www.thesedevacantistdelusion.com/brownson-annihilates-sedes
If a public figure like Brownson was a heretic, then he (his writings) would have been condemned publicly. He was in constant contact with Cardinals, bishops, etc. What pope condemned him or them? If you notice how Pontrello/Guettee argues, you’ll see how every quote is misrepresented. I demonstrated that in The Fathers and Saints Testify to Papal Primacy Proper distinctions must be made.
Where in Brownson’s quote is there heresy? Does he say that religious liberty is a God-given civil right for every man? I might argue elegantly that drug use should be made lawful because the toleration of it would lower the cost of the American tax payer, make law enforcement safer, etc. but that wouldn’t make me a heretic unless I argued that drug use is a God-given civil right. I might argue that the death penalty should be eliminated because the abuse of the justice system, the cost is higher than life in prison which comes out of the taxpayer pocket, etc., but that wouldn’t make me a heretic unless I argued that the death penalty is inhumane, attacks the inviolability and the dignity of the person, and is contrary to the gospel. What exactly is Brownson arguing that would make him a heretic?
Regardless, it doesn’t change the fact that Brownson demonstrates thoroughly that Guettee is either an idiot or dishonest.
It’s funny how Pontrello claims Brownson agrees with him on contra-sedevacantism but he doesn’t agree with him on eastern orthodoxy. He wants his cake and eat it too. Fact is Brownson doesn’t agree with Pontrello on anything. Just read Brownson and Guettee and see how Guettee’s so-called “monumental work” is just ridiculous. Brownson proves that Guettee doesn’t know Catholicism, which means Pontrello doesn’t either.
If you want to read Brownson’s own words how he was never a liberal Catholic, would never be a liberal Catholic, and how important is his reputation as an orthodox Catholic and devout follower of the pope, read him here in the Introduction to the Last Series.
“If a public figure like Brownson was a heretic, then he (his writings) would have been condemned publicly. He was in constant contact with Cardinals, bishops, etc. ”
…of course we must ask ourselves though, what about Roncalli who was also in contact with Cardinals, bishops, etc., why wasn’t he also condemned…
What was Roncalli’s heresy that you could easily point to during his time? He wasn’t the writer like Brownson whose works were all over the place and whose work was approved.
A file dated to 1925, the Holy Office had maintained a dossier on Angelo Roncalli which read “suspected of Modernism.”
So I clicked the google links and the pic that came up was Volume 8, I don’t know if it was just linking the series or Volume 8 but Volume 8 is linked here for download also on the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/worksoforestesab08browuoft
The other volumes are also on Internet Archive for download, the works should be in the public domain and free to distribute or print or share: https://archive.org/search.php?query=Orestes%20Augustus%20Brownson
The referenced Guettée book is also available on the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/papacyitshistor01guetgoog