Ian Ker
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199569106
- eISBN:
- 9780191702044
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199569106.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
John Bowden warned John Henry Newman that “one day” he and theTractswould be “charged with rank Popery”, and suggested that aTractshould be written to refute the accusation. Newman took Bowden's ...
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John Bowden warned John Henry Newman that “one day” he and theTractswould be “charged with rank Popery”, and suggested that aTractshould be written to refute the accusation. Newman took Bowden's “hint” and wrote twoTractson theVia Media. A declaration that the Church of England has taken theVia Mediathat lies between the (so called) Reformers and the Romanists, Popery, and Protestantism. The theory of theVia Mediaseemed very persuasive and plausible but it needed developing to become substantive. TheVia Mediaas a “theory” raised serious objections. However, this does not mean that it is unreal. The reality of a doctrine needed to be tried and tested. It is further argued that Protestantism and Popery are real religions but theVia Media, though viewed as an integral system, never existed except on paper.Less
John Bowden warned John Henry Newman that “one day” he and theTractswould be “charged with rank Popery”, and suggested that aTractshould be written to refute the accusation. Newman took Bowden's “hint” and wrote twoTractson theVia Media. A declaration that the Church of England has taken theVia Mediathat lies between the (so called) Reformers and the Romanists, Popery, and Protestantism. The theory of theVia Mediaseemed very persuasive and plausible but it needed developing to become substantive. TheVia Mediaas a “theory” raised serious objections. However, this does not mean that it is unreal. The reality of a doctrine needed to be tried and tested. It is further argued that Protestantism and Popery are real religions but theVia Media, though viewed as an integral system, never existed except on paper.
Andrew Meszaros
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780198786344
- eISBN:
- 9780191828645
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198786344.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History, Theology
Chapter 4 seeks to continue unpacking the relationship between the two overarching themes of the book: the subject and history. The first section discusses the subject as a historian, and so treats ...
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Chapter 4 seeks to continue unpacking the relationship between the two overarching themes of the book: the subject and history. The first section discusses the subject as a historian, and so treats Newman’s and Congar’s approaches to the discipline of history. Newman’s appeal to the fourth-century Arian controversy and Congar’s to thirteenth-century social and theological novelties are compared. The second section investigates what it means for the subject to be historical, or for a creature to be in space and time. Here, Congar’s anthropology and theology of history are exposited. The final section addresses some of the prima facie concerns that arise when one views Christianity as a thoroughly historical religion. Here, Congar’s responses to these concerns are put forward while highlighting his appeal to two texts of Newman’s (i.e., the Benedictine Essays and the Preface to the third edition of the Via Media).Less
Chapter 4 seeks to continue unpacking the relationship between the two overarching themes of the book: the subject and history. The first section discusses the subject as a historian, and so treats Newman’s and Congar’s approaches to the discipline of history. Newman’s appeal to the fourth-century Arian controversy and Congar’s to thirteenth-century social and theological novelties are compared. The second section investigates what it means for the subject to be historical, or for a creature to be in space and time. Here, Congar’s anthropology and theology of history are exposited. The final section addresses some of the prima facie concerns that arise when one views Christianity as a thoroughly historical religion. Here, Congar’s responses to these concerns are put forward while highlighting his appeal to two texts of Newman’s (i.e., the Benedictine Essays and the Preface to the third edition of the Via Media).