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 GUNTHER

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GUNTHER

tic, and in some instances distinguished, followers, who, on the other iiand, were opposed by eminent philosophers and theologians. At its zenith the school was powerful enough to secure the appoint- ment of some of its members to academic professor- ships in Catholic philosophy. Gunther liimself was offered professorships at Munich, Bonn, Breslau, and Tubingen; he refused these because he hoped for a like offer from Vienna, but his expectation was never realized. In 1833 he received from Munich an honor- ary degree of Doctor of Theology, and a similar degree in philosophy and theology was conferred on him by the University of Prague in 1S4S. His earliest friends and collaborators were: the physician, Johann Heinrich Pabst (d. 1838, author of " Der Mensch und seine Geschichte", Vienna, 1830; 2nd ed., 1847; "Gibt es eine Philosophic des positiven Christen- thums?" Cologne, 1832; " .\dam und Christus. Zur Theorie der Ehe", Vienna, 1835; in collaboration with Gunther, the " Januskopfe"); the celebrated homilist Johann Emmanuel Veith, a convert (d. 1876, co-editor of the publication "Lydia"); and Karl Franz von Hock (d. 1869; wrote "Cartesius und seine Gegner, ein Beitrag zur Charakteristik der philosophischen Bestrebungen unsercr Zcit", Vienna, 183.5, and other works; later took an active part in the discussion of political and economical questions). Other prominent adherents of Gunther were Johann Heinrich Lowe (professor of philosophy at Salzburg, 1839-51; at Prague, 1851); Johann Nopomuk Elir- lich (d. 1864; from 1836 taught philosophy in Krems; in 1850 became professor of moral theology at Graz, in 1852 at Prague, where in 1856 he became professor of fundamental theology); Jakob Zukrigl (d. 1876; professor of apologetics and philosophy at Tubingen, 1848); Xaver Schmid (d. 1883; in 1856 he became a Protestant); Jakob Merten (d. 1872; pro- fessor of philosophy in the seminary of Trier, 1843- 68); Karl Werner (d. ISSS; professor at St. Polten, 1847; at Vienna, 1870); Theodor Gangauf, O.S.B. (d. 1875; professor of philosophy at the college of Augsburg, 1S41-75, and simultaneously, 1851-59, Abbot of the Benedictine convent of St. Stephen's at the same place); Johann Sporlein (d. 1873; from 1849 professor at the college of Bamberg); tieorg Karl Mayer (d. 186S; from 1842 professor at the college of Bamberg); Peter Knoodt (d. 1889; from 1845 profes- sor of philosophy at Bonn); Peter Joseph Elvenich (d. 1886; from 1829 professor of philosophy at Bres- lau, at first a Hermesian and later a disciple of Giin- ther); Johann Baptist Baltzer (d. 1871; from 1830 professor of dogmatic theology at Breslau, originally a Hermesian); Joseph Hubert Reinkcns (d. 1896; from 1853 professor of church history at Breslau; from 1873 Old Catholic bishop at Bonn). Finally, in a younger generation, the most distinguished advocates of the system were pupils of Knoodt, Theodor Weber (d. 1906; professor of philosophy at Breslau, 1872-90; from 1890 vicar-general under Reinkens at Bonn, and from 1896 Old Catholic bishop in that city), whose "Metaphysik" (2 vols., Gotha, 1888-91), containing an independent reconstruction of (iiinthcr's specula- tion, is on the whole the most important work of the Gimtherian School, and Ernst Melzer (d. in 1899 at Bonn).

Among the literary opponents of Gimther's philos- ophy the following deserve mention: Johann Hast, Wenzeslaus Mattes, P. Volkmuth, P. Ildcphons Sorg, O.S.B., Johann Nepomuk Oischinger, Franz Xaver Dieringer, Franz Jakob Clemens, Friedrich Michelis, Johann .Vdam Hitzfelder, Joseph Kleutgen, Johannes Katschthaler.

The Congregation of the Index in Rome began in 1852 an investigation of Gimther's doctrines and writings, Gunther being invited to appear personally or to send some of his disciples to represent him. This mission was entrusted to Baltzer and Gangauf who

arrived at Rome in November, 1853. Gangauf was replaced by Knoodt in the summer of 1854. The latter and Baltzer laboured together until the end of November in that year, when they submitted their written defence to the Congregation of the Index and returned to Germany. These efforts, however, and the favourable intervention of friends in high station failed to avert the final blow, though they served to defer it for a time. Cardinals Schwarzenberg and Diepenbrock, and Bishop Arnoldi of Trier, were friendly to Gunther and assisted him at Rome. Even the head of the Congregation of the Index, Cardinal d' Andrea, was well-disposed towards him. On the other hand. Cardinals von Geissel, Rauscher, and Reisach urged his condemnation. The Congregation, by de- cree of 8 January, 1857, placed the works of Gunther on the Index. The special groimds of this condemna- tion were set forth by Pius IX in the Brief addressed by him to Cardinal von Geissel, Archbishop of Cologne, on 15 June, 1857, which declares that Gunther's teachings on the Trinity, the Person of Christ, the nature of man, the Creation, and particularly his views on the relation of faith to knowledge, as well as the fundamental rationalism, which is the controlling factor of his philosophy even in the handling of Chris- tian dogmas, are not consistent with the doctrine of the Church.

Before the publication of the Index decree, Gun- ther had been siunmoned to submit thereto, and in fact had declared his acquiescence, but for him internal submission ami rejection of his errors was out of the question. He felt keenly the blow, which he looked upon as an injustice and which embittered liim; but subsequently he published nothing. Some of his followers, like Merten, now turned away from Gtintherianism, but the greater numlier held to it obstinately, and for many years it founil academic support at Bonn (through Knoodt) and at Breslau (tlu-ough Elvenich and VV'eber). After the Vatican Council most of the Guntherians named above who were still living at the time (with the exception of Veith) joined the Old Catholic movement, in which some of them assumed leading parts. Their hopes of thus imparting new vigour to Giintherianism were not realized, whereas, by their separation from the Church, they brought about the final elimination of Guntherian influence from Catholic thought.

IvNoODT. Anton Gunther. Eine Biofjraphie (2 vols., Vienna. ISSl); Idem in Allgem. Deutsche liiog., X (1879), 146-67; Weber in Ersch and Gruber. Allgem, Eneykl. der Wissen- schaften und Kunste, Sect, i, pt. xcvii (Leipzig, 1878), 313-33; KuPPER in Kirchenlcx., V (ISSS), s. v.; Hurter, Nomenclator, III (Innsbruck, 1895), col. 936-9; Schindele in Kirchliches Handlex., I (1907), 1816-8. Other works bearing on Gun- ther's philosophy are; Merten, Hauptfragen der Metaphysik in Vcrbindung mil der Speculation. Vcrsuc/t Uber die Giintherische Philosophic (Trier, 1840); von Schutz, Hegel und Giinther (Leipzig, 1842); Zukrigl, Wissenschaftliche Recktf ertigung der christlic/ien Trinitdtslehre (Vienna, 1846); Ide.m, Kritische Untersuchungen iiber das Wesen der vernunftigen Geistseele und der psgchischen Leiblichkeit des Menschen (Ratisbon, 1854); Trebisch, Die christliche Weltanschauung in ihrer Bedeutung fiir Wissensrhaft und Leben (Vienna, 1S52): (J-\rtner, Die Welt, angeschaul in ihren Gegensdtzen: Gcist und Xatur (Vienna, 1852); I\Iayer, Der Mensch nach der Glauhenslchre der allgem. Kirchc und ini speculatiien System Giinthers (Bamberg, 1854-6); K.\3T- NER, Die philosophischen Systeme Anton Giinthers und Martin Deutingers in Progrnmni des Lyceums zu Regcnsbiirg (1873); Flegel, Giinthers Dualismus von Geisi und Xatur, aus den Quellen dargestellt (Breslau, 1880); Schmid, Wissenschaftliche Richtungen auf dem Gebiete des Katholicismus (.Munich, 1862), 7-12: \Ver.ner, Gesch. der katholischen Theologie (Slunich, 1866), 452-64, 624-8; Ueberweg, Grundriss der Gesch. der Philosophic, IV (9th ed., Berlin. 1902). 1S2-4.

The following works in refutation may be noted: H.tsT, Ueber das historische Auffasscn und unssen.iehnftliche Erfassen des Christenthums; zur Wiirdigung der Speculation der Giinther'- schen Schule (Mtinster, 18:i4); Matte.s, Giinther und scin Ver- h'iltniss zur neum theologischen Schutc in Theologische Quartal- schrift (1844), 347-416: Volkmuth, Kritik der GunOier' schen Ghubenstheorie in Katholische Vierteljahresschrift fiir Wissen- i^rhaft und Kunst (1847-S): Oischinger, Die Giinther'sche Philosophie mil RUcksicht auf die Gesch. und das System der Phiiosophie, sowie auf die chri.itliche Religion darnestellt und gewiirdigt (Schaffhausen. 1852); Dieringer, Dogmatische Erorlcrungen mil einem GUnthcrianer (Mainz. 1852): Sorg. Die Unhaltbarkeit des speculaliven Systems der Giinthcrianer nachge*