Detective (35 page)

On another level, until 1943,
Catholics were forbidden by papal
decree to engage in what was labeled
"Bible probing." But in that year
Pope Pius XII lifted the ban, with
his encyclical Divino andante
Spiritu, and Catholic scholars were
now as well informed as any in the
world, generally agreeing with
Protestant researchers in Britain,
America, and Germany about Bible
authorships and dates.

"They took off the blindfolds,"
was how Malcolm put it to Russell,
"though churches are still
concealing those facts about the
Bible from the laity. Look, there
isn't any question Jesus existed and
was crucified; that's in Roman
history. But all those stories about
him the virgin birth, the star in
the east, shepherds and a neon
angel, wise men, the miracles, the
Last Supper, even the Resurrection

DETECTIVE 291

they're simply legends, passed down
by word of mouth for fifty years. As
to accuracy . . ."

Malcolm stopped. "Consider this:
How many years is it since President
Kennedy was killed at Dallas?"

"Nearly twenty."

"And the whole world saw
it television, radio, news
reporters, the Zapruder tape,
playbacks of everything, then the
Warren Commission."

Russell nodded. "And there still
isn't agreement about how it
happened and who did what."

"Exactly! So go back to New
Testament times without
communication systems, no surviving
records if any existed curing filly
years, and imagine the invention and
distortion in all that intervening
time.''

"Don't you believe those stories
about Jesus?"

"I'm doubtful, but it doesn't
matter. Whether by legend or fact,
Jesus had more effect on the world
than anyone else in history, and
left behind the purest, wisest
teaching there has ever been."

Russell asked, "But was he the Son
of God? Was he divine?"

"I'm willing to believe so. Yeah, I
still believe it."

"Me too."

But did they really? Even then at
least for Malcolm faint glimmerings
of doubt arose.

Later, during a discourse on Church
doctrine by a visiting archbishop,
Malcolm stood and asked, "Why is it,
Your Excellency, that our Church
never shares with parishioners the
expanded knowledge we now have about
the Bible's origins, and the fresh
light it sheds on the life and times
of Jesus?"

"Because doing so could undermine
the faith of many Catholics," the
archbishop responded quickly.
"Theolog

292 Arthur Halley

ical debates are best left to those
with the intellect and wisdom to
handle them."

"Do you not believe, then, in John
8:32?" Malcolm shot back. " 'Ye
shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free'?"

The archbishop replied tartly, "I
would prefer young priests to
concentrate on Romans 5:19 'By the
obedience of one shall many be made
righteous.' "

"Or perhaps Ephesians 6:5, Your
Excellency," Malcolm returned, " 'Be
obedient to them that are your mas-
ters.' "

The lecture hall exploded with
laughter. Even the archbishop
smiled.

After their seminary graduations,
Russell and Malcolm went their
separate ways as associate priests,
their views about religion and the
contemporary scene growing and
changing as time moved on.

At St. Augustus Church in
Pottstown, Malcolm was
second-in-command to Father Andre
Quale, who, at sixtyseven and
suffering from emphysema, almost
never left the rectory and often ate
alone in his room.

"So you basically run the show,"
Russell commented one day over a
shared rectory dinner.

"I don't have as much freedom as
you think," Malcolm said. "I've
already had two reprimands from Old
Ironass."

"Our lord and master, Bishop
Sanford?"

Malcolm nodded. "Some of the old
brigade here told him about two of
my homilies. He wasn't happy."

"What were they about?"

"One was on overpopulation and
family planning; the other on
homosexuals, condoms, and AIDS."

DETECTIVE 293

Russell burst out laughing. "You
sure went for the jugular."

"I guess so. But some obvious
things the Church won't recognize
exasperate me. Okay, so the physical
idea of homosexuality makes my skin
crawl, but there are wellknown
professionals in science and medicine
who insist homosexuality is mainly a
matter of genes, and that those
people can't change, even if they
want to.''

Russell filled in. "So you ask,
'Who made those people that way?' And
if God made us all, didn't he make
homosexuals, too? maybe even for a
purpose we don't understand?"

"Our stand on condoms infuriates me
even more," Malcolm added. "How can
I look my parishioners in the eye and
forbid them to use something that
helps prevent the spread of AIDS? But
the Church doesn't want to hear what
I think. They only want me to shut
up."

"Are you going to?"

Malcolm shook his head slowly.
"Wait till you hear what I'm planning
for next Sunday."

The 10:30 A.M. mass began with a
surprise. Bishop Sanford arrived,
without warning, only minutes before
the mass was due to begin. The
elderly, wizened prelate was
accompanied by an aide, and today was
walking with a cane. He had a
reputation as a disciplinarian who
followed rigidly the Vatican line.

After the opening procession
Malcolm publicly welcomed the bishop.
Internally he felt his anxiety
mounting. The sudden arrival had
startled him, since he knew that the
remarks he planned to deliver would
inevitably meet with Sanford's
disapproval. Malcolm had expected
word to filter through to the bishop
after his homily, and was

294 Arthur Halley

prepared for that, but having him
listen directly was another matter.
But it was too late to change, even
if he wanted to.

When the time came he leaned
forward in the pulpit and spoke
forthrightly. "Absolute faith in the
reality of God and Jesus Christ is
essential to us all. But, equally,
we must have strength to retain our
faith when it is tested, as occurs
so often in our lifetimes. I intend
to test your faith right now."

Surveying the crowded pews facing
him, he continued, "True faith needs
nothing whatever to support it,
nothing materialistic, no proof of
any kind, because if there were
proof we would have no need of
faith. And yet at times we do prop
up our faith, we support it with a
material object, usually the Bible."

Malcolm paused, then asked, "But
what if you found out that parts of
the Bible, supposedly important
parts, and particularly concerning
Jesus, were untrue, or distorted, or
exaggerated? Could you still hold on
to your faith, with the same
conviction?"

Half smiling, he asked, "Do I see
puzzled faces? Well, I assure you my
question is very real. Real because
modern scholarship has shown that
parts of the Bible are almost
certainly inaccurate for one simple
reason: They were passed down
through generations, not by written
words, but by word of mouth a
notoriously unreliable means of
communication, as we all know.

"This is not news. Historians and
Bible scholars have known it for a
long time, as have the upper
echelons of our Church."

By now there was some stirring
among the congregation, a few
questioning glances exchanged, and
the bishop was frowning and shaking
his head.

But Malcolm continued, "Let's take
specifics. Did you

DETECTIVE 295

know that after the crucifixion of
Jesus, a gap of fifty years passed
before there was any written record
about Jesus' birth, his life, his
teachings, his disciples, and the
Resurrection? Half a century, and if
anything was written during that
time, not a trace remains."

Despite the restiveness of a few in
the church, the majority stayed
focused on Malcolm as he summarized
what was known but so seldom talked
about: The gospels were written
separately, for varying purposes . .
. Matthew's and Luke's gospels were
almost certainly copied from Mark's
. . . All four are by unknown
authors, despite the names on them .
. . The New Testament was not assem-
bled until the fourth century C.E....
And none of the original text in
Greek, on papyrus scrolls still
exists.

"Papyrus," Malcolm explained, "was
made from a reed growing by the Nile
and was the only form of paper at
that time. But papyrus disintegrated
quickly, so all of the original
writing was lost. Of course, copies
were written, but the Canon copier,
if you'll pardon the pun...." He
paused, smiling. "Copying machines
were still three thousand years
away, so changes inevitably
occurred. There were other changes
in the New and Old Testaments during
translations from Greek and Hebrew
to Latin, then to other languages,
including English . . . So all we
can be sure of is that the Bible as
it exists today is neither accurate
nor a true copy of what was first
set down."

He added thoughtfully, "I tell you
all this not to influence your
thinking or alter your faith, but
simply to relay the facts. I don't
believe in withholding the truth not
for any reason."

After the mass, as the clergy moved
outside to shake hands with
departing parishioners, positive
words could be

296 Arthur Halley

heard from those around Malcolm.
"Most interesting, Father" . . .
"Never heard all that before" . . .
"You're right, it should be known
more widely."

Bishop Sanford was gracious and
smiling as parishioners shook his
hand. When everyone had gone he
waved his cane peremptorily,
motioning Malcolm aside.

His warmth replaced with glacial
coldness, the bishop ordered,
"Father Ainslie, you will preach no
further homilies here. I am once
more reprimanding you, and you will
shortly receive orders about your
future. Meanwhile I urge you to pray
for humility, wisdom, and obedience,
qualities you clearly lack and
sorely need." Unsmiling, he raised
a hand in formal benediction. "May
God guide your penance and move you
in more virtuous ways."

That night on the phone Malcolm
repeated the conversation to
Russell, adding, "We're ruled by too
many sour old men."

"Who are completely sex-starved.
What do you expect?"

Malcolm sighed. "We're all
sex-starved. This life is perverse."

"Sounds like another homily in the
making."

"No way. Sanford's put a muzzle on
me. He thinks I'm a rebel, Russell."

"Has he forgotten Jesus was a
rebel? He asked questions just like
yours."

"Tell that to Iron-ass."

"What sort of penance do you think
he'll give you?"

"Who knows?" Malcolm said. "To
tell the truth, I'm not sure I
care."

But the answer came quickly.

Bishop Sanford's decision was
relayed to Malcolm two days later by
Father Andre Quale, who received the
news in an archdiocesan letter.
Malcolm was to be transferred

DETECTIVE 297

immediately to a Trappist monastery
in the Pocono Mountains of northern
Pennsylvania, a lonely place where he
would remain indefinitely.

"I've been sentenced to silence in
Outer Mongolia," Malcolm reported to
Russell. "You know about the Trap-
pists?"

"A little. They live hard and never
speak." Russell recalled an article
he had read. The Catholic Order of
Cistercians of the Strict Observance,
the Trappists' official name, had a
doctrine and way of life that were
penitential little food, no meat,
arduous manual labor, and strict
silence. Founded in France in 1664,
the Trappists had seventy monasteries
worldwide.

"Penance is what old Sanford
promised," Malcolm said, "and he kept
his word. I'm to stay there and keep
praying silently, of course until I'm
ready to toe the Vatican line."

"Will you go?"

"I have to. If I don't, they'll
unfrock me."

"Which might not be the worst thing
for either of us." The impulsive
words tumbled out, surprising Russell
himself.

"Maybe not," said Malcolm.

He went to the monastery and, to his
surprise, found himself at peace. The
hardships he simply shrugged off. The
silence, which he had expected to be
a burden, wasn't, and later, when he
returned to the outside world, he
found it full of senseless chatter.
People, Malcolm realized, were
compulsive about filling a silence
with their voices. But silence,
accompanied by quickly learned hand
signals, he discovered in the
Poconos, was in many situations more
desirable.

298 Arthur Halley

Malcolm disobeyed only one
condition of his banishment. He did
not pray. While the monks around him
presumably did so in their silence,
he used the time to think, imagine,
dip into accumulated knowledge, and
assess his past and future.

At the end of a month of
introspection he reached three
conclusions. He no longer believed
in any god, the divinity of Jesus,
or the mission of the Catholic
Church. While the reasons were
multiple, most important was that
all religions had a background of,
at maximum, a mere five thousand
years. Compared with the vast
unknown aeons of geological time
through which the universe had
existed Earth being a relative
pinhead the duration of religion's
presence equaled, perhaps, a single
sand grain from the whole Sahara
Desert.

It was also increasingly
conclusive that mankind, Homo
sapiens, evolved from
hominids apelike creatures millions
of years ago. The scientific
evidence had become increasingly
irrefutable, evidence that most
religions chose to ignore because
accepting it would put them out of
business.