The Imperial Intellect: A Study of Newman's Educational Ideal

by Arthur Dwight Culler

Book by Culler, Arthur Dwight

327 pages, Hardcover

First published October 22, 1973

Reviews

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped me to better understand Newman's Grammar of Assent and it introduced me to The Idea of a University (which I have not read). I found it a chore to read about Newman's time at Oxford and his time as a tutor of Oriel. Much of the discussion of Newman's breakdowns during oral examinations seemed to focus on his straining himself too much or trying to learn his subjects in a deep and comprehensive way not conducive to parroting back quick responses. The author seems to discount Newman's own view that it was a punishment for his intellectual pride.

The process of Newman's conversion is not gone into at all and the author leapfrogs to the founding of the University of Dublin and his various lectures which are compiled in the book Education of a University. Newman's struggles to educate the laity in the face of a very clericalism environment show his prescience and genius. His ability to navigate the waters of intellectual controversy without fear because he rightfully saw the dividing lines between various fields of intellectual exploration and the field of religion or theology.

Although I struggled with this, I did find much food for thought and am emboldened to read Idea of a University. Arthur Culler draws on many of Newman's writings to flesh out his thought on education and the proper use of the intellect. I think the integration of this with Newman's deep faith is sometimes taken for granted and I would have wished a more fuller picture of how Newman's integration of Faith and Reason impacted everything he did.