IV. Pastor Aeternus at 150

Kristin Colberg's fine essay in the December 2019 issue of Horizons clearly lays out the social, historical, and theological context for Pastor Aeternus. The year 1870 was a tumultuous, difficult, even dangerous, time for the Roman Catholic Church as it dealt with rationalism, challenges to sec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHorizons (Villanova) Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 127 - 132
Main Author Ross, Susan A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York, USA Cambridge University Press 01.06.2020
Subjects
Christianity
Francis (Pope)
Morality
Political power
Teaching
Theological Roundtable
Vatican I's Teaching on Papal Infallibility: Nineteenth-Century Historical Context and Twenty-First-Century Relevance
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Summary:Kristin Colberg's fine essay in the December 2019 issue of Horizons clearly lays out the social, historical, and theological context for Pastor Aeternus. The year 1870 was a tumultuous, difficult, even dangerous, time for the Roman Catholic Church as it dealt with rationalism, challenges to secular as well as religious authority, new scientific ideas, and the loss of its own political power. When I have taught historical survey courses, I always stress the significance of context, and Pastor Aeternus is no exception. I also ask my students, when reading about controversial issues, to ask the question: “What is each position trying to protect?” Clearly, Pastor Aeternus is trying to protect the church's independence from secular powers, from perceived errors, and from forces of disunity both in society and in the church itself.
ISSN:0360-9669
2050-8557
DOI:10.1017/hor.2020.46