Chapter I: Section I: Commentary

1. The Index 1
2. The Power of the Church 4
3. Book Prohibitions Antedating the Roman Index 7
4. The Roman Index 11
5. Books Forbidden by General or Particular Decrees 13
6. Duties Imposed by Law and by Nature 18
7. Who Puts Books on the Index? 24
8. The Method of Examination 28
9. The Spirit of the Index Congregation 33
10. Further Explanations 35
a. Why an Author is not Permitted to Defend His Book 35
b. The Index does not Advertise Bad Books 37
c. Index Decisions not Omitted for Fear of Apostasies 39
d. The “Good Catholic” 41
e. A Mortal Sin 43
f. The Galileo Case 44
g. Non-Catholic Book-Laws 46
h. Some Examples of Submission to the Index 48

Section II.—A Summary of the Index.
1. Our Duties in Relation to Forbidden Books 51
2. Forbidden Books 53
a. Books Forbidden by General Decrees 54
b. Books Forbidden by Particular Decrees 57