Matthias Joseph Scheeben

Matthias Joseph Scheeben ( born March 1, 1835 in Meckenheim; † July 21, 1888 in Cologne ) was a German Catholic theologian.

As a seminarian of the Archdiocese of Cologne, he came to Rome, lived in the Collegium Germanicum and studied 1852-1858 at the Pontifical Gregorian University. The Roman years were decisive for his later work as a theologian. He acquired a good knowledge of the Greek and Latin Fathers of the Church and of the leading theologians of Scholasticism ( Thomas Aquinas, Francisco Suarez and others). His teachers ( Perrone, Passaglia, Franzelin, Schrader ) belonged to the so-called Roman school.

In 1858 he was ordained a priest in Rome and appointed after a short pastoral activities ( 1860) as professor of theology at the seminary in Cologne.

He became one of the most cherished Catholic theologians of the 19th century and worked with his great work until the 20th century.

Scheeben is buried in the cemetery in Cologne Melaten.

Scheeben as a Catholic dogmatists of the 19th century

Scheeben is dogmatists in the first place. Wherefore God also interest less the fact and the credibility of the Christian revelation - that was the subject of classical apologetics, as it had developed since the 18th century - rather than its content. The content of revelation is an organic system of supernatural truths, in which there is no contradiction. Emphasize the inner coherence of the Christian revelation, is the task of the dogmatist.

Scheeben is also less interested in dialogue with contemporary philosophy or with outsiders. The religious justification he sees in the theological self-reflection of faith in the justice of faith from himself, however, is already fundamental theology in the modern sense. Scheeben but this has not as yet seen so addressed. But his attempt to address the Christian faith immanent rationality, fosters the tendency in the theology of the early 20th century, which tried to argue from the revelation and faith out ( " revealed theology ").

Overall Scheeben interacts with its immanent justification by faith, especially within the Catholic Church, but this does not mean that he would not have occurred apologetic in the debate over the First Vatican Council to the outside. In the so-called culture war he defended the Catholic Church against rationalism, naturalism, as well as the liberalism of his time.

Scheebens theological knowledge and teaching principles

The greatest importance is attached to the considerations Scheebens to a theological knowledge and principles of teaching. Specifically, the concerns the relationship between faith and knowledge, the so-called " Lehrapostolat " and his infallibility as the theological analysis of the act of faith.

Subject of theological epistemology is the transmission of Revelation by the Church, the finding of the truth of faith and their scientific treatment as well as conditions and methods of theology. Scheeben distinguishes between the objective principles of theological knowledge ( revelation and its transmission, Lehrapostolat, tradition ) and the theological in knowledge (faith, faith, faith and knowledge).

Remarkably, uses the theological epistemology in the encounter with the visible Church, which occurs with the claim to be authentic mediator of God's revelation.

"Mystery" and " supernatural "

In theology Scheebens the category of " supernatural " central importance.

Against the rationalistic tendencies of his time, he pointed out the supernatural character of revealed truths. A supernatural truth is indeed a "secret" ( Mysterium ), but no mystery. It can be clearly logically, explain without contradiction; However, its content is object of faith. The primary objective of his theological efforts is to emphasize the organic unity of the natural and the supernatural. These concerns are his reflections on the relationship between nature and grace, knowledge and faith, reason and revelation.

The theology he clearly distinguishes from the philosophy that science is rational for him and the natural principles of reason follows. As a science of faith, however, theology is a system of non-contradictory findings that builds up from believed sentences. Theology has its own principle of knowledge (the word of God) and its own material object (God).

The relation of faith and reason

Scheeben begins his theological work in the period before the First Vatican Council ( 1869-1870 ). After the liberation of man from his self-imposed immaturity (Kant) to provide some epistemological and philosophical questions with new urgency: theology / philosophy, nature / grace, faith / knowledge, reason / faith, etc. are pairs of terms in which to report such issues demand and on the response ( Eugene Paul 1975).

But neither rationalist nor the fideist (or fundamentalist ) conceptual model provide real answers Represents the first model eliminated any faith, revelation and theology; the second model highlights the reason in faith, leaves the blurring of superstition and faith sets the contents of the arbitrariness of. The separation of faith and reason leads to a "two floor thinking" (cf. the theory of double truth ); the mixing of the two is, however, at the beginning of each Pan ( en ) theism, as he is to be found especially in the former romance.

Scheeben dedicated to the " mysteries of Christianity " (1st edition 1865) the last main part ( § § 104-110 ) the cognitive and epistemological questions of theology. In the multivolume later "Handbook of Catholic dogma " the " theological epistemology " appears as the first volume ( 1873-75 ). In the " mysteries " sits down Scheeben in § 109 specifically with the relationship between faith and reason apart. For him, there are two ( subjective ) " principles of knowledge ," two " lights " ( volumes ), although a single source ( God ) come, but still have to be distinguished in terms of its subject matter. The reason relates to the nature ( everything in the world ), the belief in the supernatural (all non - worldly ). Exists in relation to the mysteries ( mysteries ) of Christianity between the two a " service ratio ", which no submission or subordination of reason, however, should be among the faith. There is no slave relationship. Reason plays a quite distinct and irreplaceable role. Scheeben used the image of the marriage of the bride and groom ( partnership ) relationship of man and woman. The two natures in Christ provide the analogue of the relationship between reason and faith, philosophy and theology. The reason can not produce the theological knowledge of the mysteries of God out of himself " without the fertilized germ of faith," while faith without reason can not develop, develop, and can explain its contents.

Meaning and effect

Scheeben belongs to no theological school and can also fit into any. He is not representative of the " Roman School" in Germany, where he is also close to her due to his theological training in Rome without a doubt. Scheeben represents a theological pluralism at a time, so that the hard teamed up.

His remarks are not always just clear - especially where it relies on images and symbols. This all has the reception of his work more difficult than relieved. The different directions have Scheeben Guests wishing for their own concerns to complete.

Scheebens remarks on the proper character of theology seem to come close to a "two floor thinking" sometimes. His effort a " marriage " between philosophy and theology leads to a time when the great philosophical systems have failed, in some ways a theological late idealism ( one has spoken, among others, a " Hegel Catholic theology " ), the historicity of thought little into account, and (especially in his late work ) seeks to subordinate the system to realities.

After Eugene Paul Scheeben developed by Mohler (1796-1838) mediated " romantic theology " of Roman coinage, but is emerging with the help of the great representatives of the theological tradition to a stand-alone design.

Works

• Nature and grace. Attempt at a systematic, scientific representation of the natural and supernatural order of life in man (Mainz 1861);
• The mysteries of Christianity. Nature, significance and context thereof have been shown by the given in its supernatural character perspective ( Freiburg 1865);
• Handbook of Catholic dogma (5 volumes, Freiburg 1873-87 ).