diced b Jos e S. Arc a, - non

itself did not altogether escape the rationalist trap in its efforts to present thecredentials of Christianity as reasonable and fight rationalism on its owngrounds. However, rising out of a period of decadence, scholasticism itselfwas gaining new vitality to meet the challenges of the time. In Spain, JaimeBalmes and Ceferino Cardinal Gonzales were key figures in the scholasticrevival. And Leo XIII himself gave fresh impetus to this movement with hisencyclical Aeterni Patris. Nevertheless, it must be said that theology remainedhighly defensive and polemical. Moreover, generally theologians(except for a minority of Catholic liberals) took an unbending, intransigent,reactionary posture against new social and political developments, such asreligious freedom, the separation of Church and State, inasmuch as theirproponents were grounding these on false rationalist principles.Pastells had concluded his theological training in 1871, seven years afterthe Syllabus of Errors and two years after Vatican I. No professionaltheologian or original thinker, he depended on current theological seminarymanuals. His theological views reflected the theology of the time. Doubtless,his own personal experience of persecution reinforced the defensive,polemical and reactionary character of his theology as well as his politicalviews.PASTELLS' POLITICAL VIEWSThe Restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in the person of Alfonso XII in1875 ended the brief interim of republicanism and liberal politics in Spain.The ascendancy of Alfonso XII had in fact been brought about largelythrough the political acumen of Antonio Canvas del Castillo, a politicalconservative who was open to liberal ideas, a Catholic who professed loyaltyto the Church but disagreed with extremists in their defense of the Church'sprerogatives, and a monarchist who took it upon himself to shape aconstitutional monarchy with a parliament patterned on the British model.Two major parties emerged: the Conservative Party under the leadership ofCanvas himself and the Liberal Party headed by Praxedes Mateo Sagasta."But numerous groups of the extremist variety played in the political arena,bound together only by their common opposition to the monarchy of AlfonsoXII. On the left were various Republican factions, proponents of thoroughgoingliberalization of Spanish society and adversaries of the Church; and onthe right were the Traditionalists, known also as Carlists, who defended theclaim of Don Carlos VII to the throne, fought for the rights of the Church, and223