John Henry Newman
English theologian and writer (1801–1890); Oxford Movement leader, Catholic convert, cardinal and saint.
At a glance
Main ideas
Knowledge is its own end, A middle way, The development of doctrine …
See all 5Books to start with
An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, The Idea of a University, Apologia Pro Vita Sua …
See all 4Connections
Matthew Arnold and The Idea of a University
See all 2
Also on this page: Key facts · Links · Sources · Related pages
- Newman was an Oxford academic and Church of England clergyman who became a leader of the Oxford Movement, which sought to restore Catholic beliefs and rituals to the Church of England.
- In 1845 he left the Church of England and was received into the Catholic Church, and he was made a cardinal in 1879.
- He was the founding rector of the Catholic University of Ireland in Dublin, and his lectures there became The Idea of a University.
- His theory of the development of doctrine has been highly influential in Catholic theology.
Why it matters
- His idea of a university, teaching knowledge as its own end, is thought to underlie the British belief that education should produce generalists rather than narrow specialists.
Key facts
- Born
- 21 Feb 1801, City of London1
- Died
- 11 Aug 1890, of pneumonia, Birmingham Oratory1
- Education
- Great Ealing School; Trinity College, Oxford; elected fellow of Oriel College on 12 Apr 18221
- Oxford Movement
- Started the Tracts for the Times (1833–1841); Tract 90 in 1841 was the last1
- Became Catholic
- Received into the Catholic Church on 9 Oct 1845 at Littlemore1
- Catholic University of Ireland
- Rector from 1854 for four years; it later became University College Dublin1
- Cardinal
- Created by Pope Leo XIII on 12 May 1879; motto Cor ad cor loquitur ("Heart speaks to heart")1
- Saint
- Canonised on 13 Oct 2019; proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 20251
Main ideas
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Knowledge is its own end1
A university's function is intellectual culture; it educates the intellect to reason well in all matters.
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A middle way1
A university should respect both the rights of knowledge and the rights of revelation.
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The development of doctrine1
His account of how Christian doctrine develops has been highly influential on later Catholic theology.
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Natural and revealed religion1
Knowledge of God outside Christian revelation is an incomplete revelation; there is "something true and divinely revealed in every religion".
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Against liberalism in religion1
He held all his life that liberalism in religion would lead to complete relativism.
Books to start with
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An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine1
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His Dublin discourses on what a university is for; the collected work appeared in 1852 and 1858.
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Apologia Pro Vita Sua1
A religious autobiography written in reply to Charles Kingsley; it changed the popular view of him.
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An Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent1
A closely reasoned case for religious belief.
Connections
Links
Sources
Last checked against its sources today
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