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The Pope and the Professor: Pius IX, Ignaz von Döllinger, and the Quandary of the Modern Age
The Pope and the Professor tells the captivating story of the German Catholic theologian and historian Ignaz von Döllinger (1799-1890), who fiercely opposed the teaching of Papal Infallibility at the time of the First Vatican Council (1869-70), convened by Pope Pius IX (r. 1846-1878), among the most controversial popes in the history of the papacy. Döllinger's thought, his opposition to the Council, his high-profile excommunication in 1871, and theinternational sensation that this action caused offer a fascinating window into the intellectual and religious history of the nineteenth century. Thomas Albert Howard examines Döllinger's post-conciliar activities, including pioneering work in ecumenism and inspiring the"Old Catholic" movement in Central Europe. Setagainst the backdrop of Italian and German national unification, and the rise of anticlericalism and ultramontanism after the French Revolution, The Pope and the Professor is at once an endeavor of historical and theological inquiry. It provides nuanced historical contextualization of the events, topics, and personalities, while also raising abiding questions about the often fraught relationship between individual conscience and scholarly credentials, onthe one hand, and church authority and tradition, on the other.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2017
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About the author
Thomas Albert Howard
12 books6 followersProfessor of History and the Humanities at Valparaiso University, Indiana. He formerly directed the Center for Faith and Inquiry and was Professor of History at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. He completed his MA (1992) and Ph.D. (1996) at the University of Virginia, concentrating in modern European intellectual and religious history. He is founding director of Gordon College's honors program, the Jerusalem and Athens Forum, a one-year, great-books course of study in the history of Christian thought and literature. He served as principal grant writer and project director of a multimillion-dollar project funded by the Lilly Endowment, entitled "Critical Loyalty: Christian Vocation at Gordon College."
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 13, 2023
Brilliant history, fantastic storytelling.
Jonathan Roberts recommended this to me because of how it deals with Cardinal Newman, and while it's useful for that, it's of more general application.
Howard shows that the Roman Church was traumatized by Napoleon's captivity of the papacy, and this and other events led to the stridency of Vatican I. This forced a leading German Papist called Dollinger to get excommunicated because he thought the infallibility of the papacy was not part of the catholic tradition. He made an attempt to lead an ecumenical movement that was neither Protestant, nor Papal. Like most utopian schemes, it did not really lead to anything lasting.
My big takeaway of this book is that even the Roman Catholic Church, and by extension the medieval church, with all their corruptions, did not universally hold to papal infallibility. It was only lately a tenet of the Roman faction.
That's interesting and encouraging, if you care about this kind of thing.
Jonathan Roberts recommended this to me because of how it deals with Cardinal Newman, and while it's useful for that, it's of more general application.
Howard shows that the Roman Church was traumatized by Napoleon's captivity of the papacy, and this and other events led to the stridency of Vatican I. This forced a leading German Papist called Dollinger to get excommunicated because he thought the infallibility of the papacy was not part of the catholic tradition. He made an attempt to lead an ecumenical movement that was neither Protestant, nor Papal. Like most utopian schemes, it did not really lead to anything lasting.
My big takeaway of this book is that even the Roman Catholic Church, and by extension the medieval church, with all their corruptions, did not universally hold to papal infallibility. It was only lately a tenet of the Roman faction.
That's interesting and encouraging, if you care about this kind of thing.
February 26, 2018
Excellent study of Ignaz von Döllinger, one of the greatest Church historians of the 19th century, and of Vatican I and the decree on papal infallibility, the origins of the German Old Catholic Church, and the proto-ecumenical movement. Exceptionally well-written and documented; in fact, the work includes so many notes that I didn't mind as much as I usually do the use of endnotes instead of footnotes.
September 10, 2018
This book helps to frame the narrative of church/state relations at the end of the 19th Century, and the opposition that coalesced around the fallacy of papal infallibility. While the book quotes extensively from newspapers and letters, it could have delve deeper into the infallibility issue itself.
September 7, 2017
A nice historical account of an important series of events surrounding Vatican I.
November 11, 2017
It might startle some for whom the name is not familiar that Ignaz von Döllinger was among the most internationally famous religious thinkers during the last half of the nineteenth century. Why he should have been so quickly forgotten is a mystery as the excruciating dilemma of his life remains highly relevant today. We can be grateful to Thomas Albert Howard for his fine book discussing Döllinger’s role in the papal Infallibility debate for bringing this great theologian’s life and witness to our attention.
Although Howard’s sympathy seems to lean heavily towards Döllinger, he also cautions the modern liberal-minded reader to sympathize and understand the process that lead to the proclamation of papal infallibility at the First Vatican Council of 1870. The French Revolution had unleashed violent anti-clericalism that lead to the kidnaping of Pius VI by Napoleon. In response, there was a powerful wave of sympathy for the martyr pope and a mushrooming of ultra-montane theology that urged a doctrine of papal infallibility as an anchor is such a turbulent time.
Revolutionary anti-clericalism wasn’t the only problem from the Vatican’s point of view. The nineteenth century also saw the rise of historical criticism. This is where Döllinger comes in. A life-long theologian, his theological work was thoroughly grounded in historical criticism. Being a devout Catholic, Döllinger sought to forge a middle ground between historians who debunked belief and an approach to theology focused on eternal verities disconnected from history. The papacy favored the latter, not least because unfolding history was unkind to the Vatican. As a result Döllinger ran afoul of the ultramontanist theologians and the papacy when Pope Pius IX rode a surge of Catholic opinion towards the proclamation of papal infallibility at the Vatican Council. Döllinger’s historical work convinced him that Papal Infallibility was untenable as a dogmatic truth considered necessary for salvation. Nineteenth century nationalism was also a major factor as Döllinger felt that historical-critical studies was an important German gift to the Catholic world, offering an important corrective to the Italianate approach that eschewed historical studies at the time. Since Italian nationalism had caused Pius IX to flee Rome in 1848, the Pope was not about to embrace nationalism of any kind, and certainly not German nationalism.
Howard describes the drama of the Vatican Council in some detail with an emphasis on Döllinger’s role, which was considerable. Much of the opposition to papal infallibility came from Germany and Döllinger provided the most penetrating theological and historical reasons for rejecting it. The pope and the ultramontanist theologians won. Almost all of the opposition among bishops crumbled. Döllinger stood firm and was excommunicated by Cardinal Scheer on the Pope’s orders (or at least strong acquiesence.)
The Old Catholic Church emerged as a new church formed by those who rejected the Vatican Council. Döllinger was their central hero but the venerable theologian and historian could never accept what he saw as a schismatic body and he never joined. He did, however, use his connections with the Old Catholics to lead what was arguably the most important ecumenical thrust of the nineteenth century. The Old Catholic Church was in a good position to reach out to Anglicans and Orthodox and Protestants and two conferences held at Bonn raised high hopes that quickly dissipated. Döllinger was chief organizer and presider over these ecumenical conferences although he himself was the only person there who wasn’t actually a member in good standing of any church whatsoever!
Howard’s study emphasizes the tension between theological thinking that normally deals with abiding truths and historical study that, among other things, provides historical contexts for the emergence of ideas about abiding truths. Religious debates in the 21st century show us that this tension is still not resolved, although Howard does show how Vatican II offered some vindication for Döllinger, who, as one who died excommunicate, could not be officially credited for his witness. One can also see in the analyses in this book how positions can harden in extreme ways that exacerbate tensions. Döllinger’s own writing, normally so careful and thoughtful, became frantic and shrill as the Vatican Council approached. Another major issue in the book is the relationship between individual conscience and the consensus of a religious body. For all the pressure put on Döllinger to accept what he saw as a “new” dogma, he simply could not go against what his own studies had led him to believe. As an excommunicate from his own church, he was in both a lonely position and a highly heralded position because he held to his personal integrity. All of these issues make this highly readable volume of great value today. Very highly recommended.
Although Howard’s sympathy seems to lean heavily towards Döllinger, he also cautions the modern liberal-minded reader to sympathize and understand the process that lead to the proclamation of papal infallibility at the First Vatican Council of 1870. The French Revolution had unleashed violent anti-clericalism that lead to the kidnaping of Pius VI by Napoleon. In response, there was a powerful wave of sympathy for the martyr pope and a mushrooming of ultra-montane theology that urged a doctrine of papal infallibility as an anchor is such a turbulent time.
Revolutionary anti-clericalism wasn’t the only problem from the Vatican’s point of view. The nineteenth century also saw the rise of historical criticism. This is where Döllinger comes in. A life-long theologian, his theological work was thoroughly grounded in historical criticism. Being a devout Catholic, Döllinger sought to forge a middle ground between historians who debunked belief and an approach to theology focused on eternal verities disconnected from history. The papacy favored the latter, not least because unfolding history was unkind to the Vatican. As a result Döllinger ran afoul of the ultramontanist theologians and the papacy when Pope Pius IX rode a surge of Catholic opinion towards the proclamation of papal infallibility at the Vatican Council. Döllinger’s historical work convinced him that Papal Infallibility was untenable as a dogmatic truth considered necessary for salvation. Nineteenth century nationalism was also a major factor as Döllinger felt that historical-critical studies was an important German gift to the Catholic world, offering an important corrective to the Italianate approach that eschewed historical studies at the time. Since Italian nationalism had caused Pius IX to flee Rome in 1848, the Pope was not about to embrace nationalism of any kind, and certainly not German nationalism.
Howard describes the drama of the Vatican Council in some detail with an emphasis on Döllinger’s role, which was considerable. Much of the opposition to papal infallibility came from Germany and Döllinger provided the most penetrating theological and historical reasons for rejecting it. The pope and the ultramontanist theologians won. Almost all of the opposition among bishops crumbled. Döllinger stood firm and was excommunicated by Cardinal Scheer on the Pope’s orders (or at least strong acquiesence.)
The Old Catholic Church emerged as a new church formed by those who rejected the Vatican Council. Döllinger was their central hero but the venerable theologian and historian could never accept what he saw as a schismatic body and he never joined. He did, however, use his connections with the Old Catholics to lead what was arguably the most important ecumenical thrust of the nineteenth century. The Old Catholic Church was in a good position to reach out to Anglicans and Orthodox and Protestants and two conferences held at Bonn raised high hopes that quickly dissipated. Döllinger was chief organizer and presider over these ecumenical conferences although he himself was the only person there who wasn’t actually a member in good standing of any church whatsoever!
Howard’s study emphasizes the tension between theological thinking that normally deals with abiding truths and historical study that, among other things, provides historical contexts for the emergence of ideas about abiding truths. Religious debates in the 21st century show us that this tension is still not resolved, although Howard does show how Vatican II offered some vindication for Döllinger, who, as one who died excommunicate, could not be officially credited for his witness. One can also see in the analyses in this book how positions can harden in extreme ways that exacerbate tensions. Döllinger’s own writing, normally so careful and thoughtful, became frantic and shrill as the Vatican Council approached. Another major issue in the book is the relationship between individual conscience and the consensus of a religious body. For all the pressure put on Döllinger to accept what he saw as a “new” dogma, he simply could not go against what his own studies had led him to believe. As an excommunicate from his own church, he was in both a lonely position and a highly heralded position because he held to his personal integrity. All of these issues make this highly readable volume of great value today. Very highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews