The Church and Modernism: Leo XIII’s intellectual and pastoral responses

Abstract

The pontificate of Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903) marked a crucial transitional phase in the Catholic Church’s response to the intellectual, social, and political transformations of the modern era. This article offers a synthetic overview of Leo XIII’s key initiatives and theological positions, situating them within the broader context of post-Enlightenment Europe and the legacy of the First Vatican Council. Rejecting the confrontational stance of his predecessor Pius IX, Leo XIII adopted a dialogical yet doctrinally firm approach toward modern ideologies. His responses included the development of Catholic social teaching (Rerum Novarum), the revival of Thomism (Aeterni Patris), and the reform of biblical studies (Providentissimus Deus). The study also explores the Catholic reaction to modernism as an intellectual and spiritual phenomenon, as well as Leo’s impact on diplomacy, ecumenism, and ecclesial communication. Finally, it assesses how Leo XIII’s model of a reflective, teacherly papacy became a foundation for the Church’s later engagement with the modern world — a legacy invoked once again in the contemporary Church through the election of Pope Leo XIV.