Church and culture
Book Description
Thomas F. O'Meara presents a fascinating exploration of how Catholic theology navigated the turbulent waters of modernity in late nineteenth-century Germany. This scholarly work illuminates a pivotal period when German Catholic thinkers faced the challenge of reconciling traditional faith with the intellectual currents of their rapidly changing world.
The book examines the tension between two theological approaches that emerged during this era. On one side stood those who embraced historical and idealist thought, seeking to engage constructively with contemporary philosophy and culture. On the other stood the rising influence of neoscholasticism, which the Vatican increasingly favored as a response to modern challenges.
O'Meara brings this theological drama to life through detailed portraits of five influential German theologians: M.J. Scheeben, Alois Schmid, Paul Schanz, Herman Schell, and Carl Braig. These thinkers developed innovative approaches to fundamental and dogmatic theology while wrestling with the philosophical movements of their time.
The narrative reveals how these theologians sought to create authentic dialogue between faith and modernity, only to find themselves caught between Vatican suspicions of modernist tendencies and Prussian wariness of Catholic influence. O'Meara demonstrates that many of these progressive voices were not the dangerous modernists they were sometimes perceived to be, but rather thoughtful scholars attempting to address the spiritual needs of their contemporary world.
This work offers valuable insights into how religious thought adapts and evolves when confronted with cultural transformation.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~7 hours)
📄 Length: 260 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Theology, Doctrinal
- ✓ Explore Katholische Theologie
- ✓ Explore Catholic Church
- ✓ Explore Doctrines
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- ✓ Explore Rooms-katholicisme
- ✓ Explore Katholische Kirche
- ✓ Explore Doctrinal Theology
