The apologist balmes in his: protestantism compared to catholicism

Abstract:

In view of his: Protestantism compared to Catholicism, Balmes cannot be deemed as an historian, but as an apologist. This work stems from the discussion with Guizot about the motor of progress and Civilization, and apparently brings the two authors closer. Nevertheless, their approach is totally different since Guizot, under the appearance of moderantism and Calvinist religiosity, truly defends liberal theses, to the extent that his thoughts were one of the sources of Marx’s theory on the class struggle as a motor of history. On the other hand Balmes provides us with a work of Catholic apologetics capable of creating an architectural interpretation of the Church’s role in the development of civilization, which would never divert to romanticism nor to historicism.

Key words:

Balmes, Guizot, Protestantism, apologetics,