Find "sanctified paganism" anywhere in Newman's writing (or mine). You've got it wrong there.
Actually, I was referring to Newman... An excerpt from my original posting of Newman:
[...] are all of pagan origin, and sanctified by their adoption into the Church.
Paganism sanctified by adoption... How absurd.
He's referring to practices normally carried out for a pagan intent now carried out for the glory of God. He's saying those practices would have been thereby sanctified.
And he'd be completely and utterly stone dead wrong.
[... I wonder if that was Solomon's reasoning when he allowed his wives to plant their gods in the Temple of Jehovah...]
That would have it backwards....like when Anne Rice (the occult novelist) bought a formerly Catholic church building to use for her purposes. See how that is similar to the Solomonic example you cited?
No, but I can see how Constantine might have bought a formerly Catholic church to use it for his purposes... Is that what you are getting at? ;) (<= See, wink thingy)
Not what he said.
Your faith prohibits wearing a wedding ring?
***Paganism sanctified by adoption... How absurd. ***
Do tell. The cross, the Jesus fish, the tonsured heads of monks, chanting, the prayer, the altar, and even the wedding ring all come from pagan roots.
But you’ve never availed yourself or approved of any of these, have you?