Johann Adam Möhler facts for kids
Johann Adam Möhler (born May 6, 1796 – died April 12, 1838) was an important German Roman Catholic theologian and priest.
He was born in a town called Igersheim. After studying philosophy and theology, he joined the University of Tübingen in 1817. He became a priest in 1819. Then, he returned to Tübingen to teach.
He became a professor of theology in 1828. Many people, including Protestants, came to hear his lectures. His book Symbolik (published in 1832) caused some debate. Because of disagreements with a Protestant theologian, he moved to the University of Munich in 1835. In 1838, he was appointed to a high church position in Würzburg. Sadly, he died shortly after.
Even though he died young, Möhler had a big impact. Many later theologians, like Henri de Lubac and Yves Congar, were influenced by his ideas. As a church historian, he had a traditional and deep way of thinking about the Church.
His Important Books
Möhler wrote several important books during his life:
- Die Einheit in der Kirche (1825). This book is about the idea of unity in the Church. It looks at the beliefs of early Church leaders. An English version is called Unity in the Church or the Principle of Catholicism.
- Athanasius der Grosse und die Kirche seiner Zeit (1827). This work is about Athanasius the Great. It describes the Church during his time, especially its struggles against a belief called Arianism.
- Symbolik (1832). This is his most famous book. It explores the main differences in beliefs between Catholics and Protestants. It looks at their official statements of faith. This book focuses on human nature, salvation, and the unity of the Church. An English translation was made in 1843.
- Neue Untersuchungen der Lehrgegensätze zwischen den Katholiken und Protestanten (1834). This book continued his studies on the differences in teachings between Catholics and Protestants.
- Gesammelte Schriften u. Aufsätze (1839). This was a collection of his writings and essays. It was put together by Johann Joseph Ignaz von Döllinger.
- Patrologie (1839). He wrote this book with Franz Xaver Reithmayr. It is about the study of early Christian writers.
A book about his life, called Biographie, was published in 1866 by Balthasar Wörner.
His book Symbolik was very popular. Protestants were very interested in it. Within two years, three important replies to his book were written by other theologians. These included Ferdinand Christian Baur, Philip Konrad Marheineke, and Karl Immanuel Nitzsch.
See also
In Spanish: Johann Adam Möhler para niños
