In his autobiography Joseph Turmel (1859–1943) has left an intensely own account of his struggles to reconcile his Catholic religion with the result of historical-critical equipment as these impacted biblical exegesis and the historical past of dogma. Having misplaced his religion in 1886, he selected to stay as a clergyman within the Church, even whereas he labored to undermine its teachings. He did so first and foremost in writings released less than his personal identify and, as his conclusions turned more and more radical, below a veritable group of pseudonyms. He used to be excommunicated in 1930.

His account of his existence is much less a dialogue and safeguard of his rules than it's a ethical justification of his behavior. Turmel is linked to the left wing of Roman Catholic Modernism in addition to Albert Houtin, Marcel Hébert, and Félix Sartiaux

“Disillusioned as a tender priest in his twenties via getting to know the incongruity of Catholic dogma with severe severe scholarship on Scripture and church heritage, Joseph Turmel devoted the remainder of his existence to destroying church authority through closing a clergyman whereas whilst pseudonymously publishing scholarly books and articles undermining church dogma. simply as an previous guy used to be he chanced on and excommunicated.”
—Lawrence Barman, Saint Louis University

“‘Martyr to the reality’ is a crucial publication that, for the 1st time, supplies English readers direct entry to 1 of the extra exciting characters thinking about the modernist hindrance. Turmel’s account of his painful lack of religion, and his attempt to justify his determination to stay within the Catholic Church below fake pretenses, illustrate either the human measurement and the ethical matters at stake in an issue occasionally obvious as simply intellectual.”
—Harvey Hill, UST university of Theology

C. J. T. Talar is Professor of Systematic Theology on the collage of Saint Thomas, Houston. He has released largely on Roman Catholic Modernism.

Elizabeth Emery is Professor of French at Montclair kingdom collage. She has released works devoted to 19th- and early twentieth-century ecu and American literature, artwork, and history.