Varieties of Ultramontanism - Jeffrey von Arx

Ultramontanism, the belief that the papacy is and should be at the center of the Church, came to dominate the Roman Catholic Church in the course of the nineteenth century, and it is still a powerful force in the Church today. Most people assume that because it stands for centralization, ultramontanism is a uniform phenomenon. By looking at the careers of six ultramontane cardinals from different countries over the course of a hundred years from the middle of the last century, this volume argues that the character of ultramontanism differed from one national church to another.

The most decisive factor in the different ways in which ultramontanism expressed itself had to do with the relationship of the Catholic Church to the state. By looking at the circumstances of the church in the various national contexts in which the subjects of this study found themselves, the authors are able to specify the varieties of ultramontanism present in the period between 1844 (the accession of Cardinal Johannes von Geissel to the See of Cologne) and 1945 (the death of Cardinal William O'Connell of Boston).

The contributors also examine whether the tendency to impose doctrinal and disciplinary uniformity was an essential expression of ultramontanism, or whether it was time-conditioned and contingent-in other words, another of the """"varieties"""" that ultramontanism assumed in certain contexts over the course of a century.

In addition to the editor, the contributors are €John Ciani, S.J., Gerald Fogarty, S.J., Emmet Larkin, John W. Padberg, S.J., and Eric Yonke.

The volume will be of interest to those who wish to understand the history of the Roman Catholic Church in the period between the two Vatican Councils. It will also appeal to those who wish to understand conflicts between models of the contemporary Church, and especially the minds of those within the Church who support strong papal authority.

Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., is professor and chair of the history department at Georgetown University.

""""The originality of this valuable collection lies in its recognition that ultramontanism can best be understood in its varied contexts, local and temporal. These insightful essays on six cardinals of six nationalities do not define ultramontanism, rather they actualize it, realizing its unity in its variety. The method is stunningly successful.""""-Prof. Josef L. Altholz, University of Minnesota

""""As the contributors to this literate, skillfully edited, and carefully documented volume demonstrate, ultramontanism's major advocates could not only be found in different lands but could also differ markedly in background and in personality and inhabit distinct political worlds.""""-Prof. Walter L. Arnstein, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

""""Taken individually, these essays provide excellent insight into mid-nineteenth-century ultramontanism.... This is a brief collection of independent essays that are well worth the attention of serious scholars of the period.""""--Church History

""""This brilliant short book contains studies by distinguished scholars of six ultramontane cardinals. . . The studies bring out the great influence that a few individuals can have upon the course of history, given the right circumstances. Alarming, too, is the extent to which the popes of the time, especially Pius IX and X, encouraged the more extreme ultramontane theses including almost contempt for Catholics of a more liberal disposition. The backlash at Vatican II becomes more understandable and the scars and plolarization remain today. All the writers have style and the book is a pleasure to read. The footnotes and other documentation are excellent, leading the reader who wishes to further investigation.""""--Heythrop Journal