Lord Acton
Hill, Roland
The great 'inopportundst' Gertrude Himmelfarb's Lord Acton: easy and early entry into the highest...
...secretary of state, and where he deeptrated power in church or state, and in- ened his interest in American history...
...Duties include teaching on the Acton nevertheless edited two periodicals masters and doctoral level, student advisement, dissertation guidance, and service on faculty, that were highly praised by many in- school, and university committees...
...Roland played a prominent role in the Catholic James Finn Hill, who has written extensively on life of his respective country-France, Acton, has used it to present a rounded England, Germany-and each would ueen Victoria's long reign ex- portrait, including Acton's social and play a notable role in Vatican I. The lives tended from 1837 to 1901...
...subtle and incisive study of this com- by Monsignor Felix Dupanloup, Father plex man...
...Arnold-but not by English Catholic The Catholic University of America was founded in the name of the Catholic church authorities...
...They discussed the new Parliament and what English Catholics Most spirituality is about the presence of God...
...He and complex man who baffled friend bility...
...a year after she died, Lord Acton was un- lustrious name-that he had read every- It was under Dollinger's discipline that deniably a Victorian...
...Hyper- and archives, determined to be a scholarmatic greatness is only now being fully bole, of course, but it points in the right historian, developed a lifelong passion measured...
...pointment was undoubtedly that to the knowledge of large sweeps of history, With high connections, theological acu- Chair of Regius Professor of History at secular and ecclesiastical, the savory and men, and social skills, plus his ability to Cambridge (which many years earlier the unsavory...
...dinal Manning urged Rome to condemn "strange batch" that was torn into bits Roland Hill tells this story well in a the periodical, Acton gave up the Review and then saved in an envelope...
...Acton and of infallibility...
...Subsequently he was to ers, felt that his accomplishments fell far Simpson resumed editorship, but when refer to Newman as the "subtle sophist" short of his abilities and ambitions, that they boldly published Dollinger's views and to describe him as a "brutal liar, and in some important sense he was a failon the temporal power of the papacy, the artful deceiver...
...Review...
...And Acton would write: "The Acton's cousin and Marie's mother, spire...
...Acton saw little evidence of I I. real ability in the pope, found him "less John Krrvan writes about God's absence...
...The University's operations, policies and Newman and an intellectually distin- activities reflect this foundation and relationship and are conducted in accordance with its guished staff, Acton took over The Ram- stated mission...
...The Oxford Movement had Aye Mln his boccsaredo ~ ave maria press brought highly educated Anglicans into aro0ahlaban rkcal i~aalcserraor . the Catholic church, but the associated PO Sax 420 Hate Do", InlriaM 46556.0421...
...There he proved to tries...
...He was "a sincere Catholic and direction...
...Philosophical Theology, Historical Theology, especially the Reformation Era...
...He also writes of the "often misformidable energies to Rome and Vati- missionary zeal...
...The Papal States had been attacked...
...After the horrors of the twenti- was assigned the task of finding suitable eth century and after Vatican II, there is a living quarters for the extensive English sense in which he can speak more direct- delegation and a palace suitable for balls, ly to us than he did to his contemporaries...
...They had worked together standard of absolute moral judgment- tor, is chairman of the Puebla Institute...
...Catholics, who returned the favor...
...reflecting on the faith experiences and insights of those who have traveled this way before...
...E Acton had a habit of turning on for- before he could see the first volume...
...Roland Hilt generally been regarded as the most Acton's early education was shaped Yale Ur:iiersity Press, $39.95.523 pp...
...The candidate's dossier should clearly indicate past and present teaching positions, formed readers, including Matthew contain a complete list of scholarly publications, and provide a list of references...
...Each of these three material has become available...
...In devastate the twentieth century...
...DC, the last alone...
...Gladstone did not judgments and an incisive turn of the infallibilists, the noninfallibilists, offer Acton an embassy position he very phrase...
...upon himself to be the "minority whip...
...With the support of Church and maintains a unique relationship with it...
...Their letters disclose no hint many of the views that Acton, Newman, in Rome...
...Asserting that his ca, where he met among others, Orestes religion meant more to him than his life, at Brownson, Archbishop John Hughes, one point he risked being excommunicat- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and the ed...
...siastics...
...Equally undeniable, thing worth reading and that he had Acton learned to consult primary sources he was an eminent Victorian, whose enig- met everyone worth meeting...
...and reporting that Acton was once to a close...
...Regardless of religious or denominational affiliation, all employees are bler, an already controversial journal soon expected to respect and support the University's mission in the fulfillment of the responsibilities and obligations appropriate to their appointment...
...misquoted: 'Power tends to corrupt and that he should respect the Queen's good absolute power corrupts absolutely...
...Strengths in one or more of the following areas are especially desirable: Ecumenism, Foundational and was inclined, submissively, to agree...
...newing European Catholicism and to do Christian, Jewish and Islamic...
...20064 Acton and fellow editor Richard Simpson...
...made even more so, and roused the fury of Letters of application and nomination should be sent by December 1, 2000 to: Rev...
...A specialist in medieval and ecumenical theology, he also served as not disposed to have a Chair of the Department and Dean of the School of Religious Studies...
...Acton warmly ad- a standard not contingent upon time, to the less confrontational Newman...
...the frequent Acton, then in his midthirties, took it to like him...
...could expect...
...When eleven bishops and Car- of discord, except, Hill tells us, of one and Dollinger expounded...
...Hill delicate- of history or of liberty but a series of inavoiding the customary euphemism of ly hints that it was the Countess Arco, sights that continue to enlighten and in"cousin...
...waiting to Queen Victoria, who came vast horde of Acton's notes...
...He became an even quoted sense of Madame de Stael's" can I. The stage had been set-some said closer adviser and friend to Gladstone, maxim...
...Agreeing with Newman by John Kirvan on the value of educating English Catholics, Acton planned on introducing Raw Faith, a companion volume to God Hunger, is a highly personal journey in the "good them to some of the ideas that were re- company" of the great "apophatic" mystics...
...was delated to Rome, and he was charged his Apologia...
...To misquote the sense of a rigged-by Pius IX and his supporters and his consultant on Catholic matters, maxim would be a neat trick indeed...
...Since 1952, when that book (later Cardinal) Nicholas Wiseman, and was published, however, much more Ignaz von Dollinger...
...How- mired his sermons and would refer to place, or circumstance-by which the ever, when Newman published On Con- him as "my dear friend...
...He had three audiences with Plus John Kirvan writes about God's silence...
...Acton returned to England at the age W _ A a of twenty-three with high energy and a NURTURING THE BELIEVER IN ALL OF US clear purpose...
...and a familiar knowledge of a great ty opposed to the declaration of infalli- be a popular and influential teacher...
...His view of moral judgment in the letter of the injunction, dosed The Ram- history has been rejected even by symbler, and, with the same editors and the uring these years of almost pathetic historians, some of whom have same staff, started The Home and Foreign frantic activity, Acton had, edited into books his essays and articles...
...T Catholic layman instruct Applicants must be established scholars in the area of Systematic Theology with a other Catholics in affairs of thorough knowledge of the Roman Catholic tradition and a record of teaching and scholarly the church, and the ordinary Catholic publication that would allow them to be hired at the rank of Ordinary Professor...
...But he distrusted Newman's This the History did not, and could not with subverting just authority...
...This sisted on making strict moral judgments was followed by a trip to Russia, where on historical actors-monarch, emperor, or Granville was to represent the Queen at pope...
...He mer intellectual idols and Newman's turn maintained to the end his proclaimed James Finn, formerly a Commonweal edihad come...
...Vatiof her interests...
...Many of the last much wanted, but through his inter- so-good-are minor aspects of a work group supported infallibility but thought vention Acton was appointed lord-in- that demanded plowing through the it was not a good time to promote it...
...church authorities...
...With each country he had relatives of exalted When he reached his twenty-first year no earned degrees and not a single book to position...
...dell Creighton said he was the most his wife, French with his sister-in-law, He consulted John Henry Newman about learned person in England...
...Other areas of Under these unfavorable conditions, competency in Systematic Theology will also be considered...
...Commonweal 3 2 September 8, 2000...
...His efforts were doomed to fail- agreed to be general editor of The Cam- and critic alike, and who still resists a ure, however...
...Periodicals were then readers are given an opportunity to understand better and more deeply their own journey by God Hunger the prime means of communicating ideas I5B11:1-893732-03-7 / 192 pages, 5"x7" 512-95 among the informed and cultured elites...
...This engendered great CARL J. PETER CHAIR OF THEOLOGY debates about the concept of the temporal power of the papacy, support of which The Catholic University of America announces a search for a Roman Catholic became a test of Catholic loyalty...
...He was deeply skeptical of concen- U.S...
...brary...
...But these-the good and the notand the inopportunists...
...bridge Modern History, but he was to die ready label...
...evaluations of still concross linguistic and national barriers, he had rejected him as a student because troversial leaders in a number of counbrought a degree of unity to the minori- of his Catholicism...
...The great 'inopportundst' Gertrude Himmelfarb's Lord Acton: easy and early entry into the highest cirA Study in Conscience and Politics, which cles of his time-intellectual, social, poLord Acton she termed a biography of a mind, has litical, and ecclesiastical...
...The Catholic University of America In 1849 a Roman Republic had been pro- School of Religious Studies claimed and with it the end of the church's temporal power...
...It was in a and Italian with his mother-in-law...
...At Lord Granville's close advisor to William Gladstone, the urging Acton then made a trip to AmeriLiberal prime minister...
...Such actions did not later years Acton and his wife lived can II and its aftermath have confirmed please the church authorities in England or much apart...
...family life, but enthusiasm might be difA reluctant and bored member of Par- ficult "knowing how opposed she is to liament, Acton was a long-time friend and the Catholic religion...
...It was a "sen- gers of nationalism, state absolutism, church when he is in contradiction with sible" marriage that produced six chil- and concentrated power that were to her truth, not when he stands in the way dren, two of whom died very young...
...Both books oft SO RIN BOOKS Publications But the times were not propitious for the dislrihuled by Aye Maria Press young man...
...Nicholas Wiseman, Frank J. Matera, The Department of Theology, The Catholic University of America, now cardinal, forced the resignation of Washington, D.C...
...family life...
...banally good-natured" than his pictures suggested, and noted that he did not speak French well...
...blow from which the already dispirited he had been opportunistic in his handling Acton, as well as many of his admirNewman never fully recovered...
...He foresaw, for example, the danCatholic is subject to the correction of the whom Acton truly loved...
...parties, and dinners for up to seventy...
...Man- English with his children, German with been run by his stepfather, Lord Granville...
...His magnum opus, dent, they were told to declare openly in municated for not accepting the consti- The History of Liberty, remains scattered favor of the temporal power of the papa- tution on infallibility, came under Acton's in thousands of boxes of notes in the licy or to cease publication...
...Catholic renewal had not penetrated Ph:1-1i00-282.1865, Ext..1 - FAX-8W282-5681 - Mal: avemariopress.l©n&edu- . deeply the insular, parochial attitudes of In[altadd arder6an+larlrlorol6oolamre most English Catholics...
...His most satisfying ap- translation of a number of languages...
...There were roughly three factions: tensely interested...
...Acton own time...
...He Commonweal 3 0 September 8, 2000 next went with Dollinger to Rome, where he met Italian rationalists and high eccle- Mast spirituality is about the voice of God...
...Untamed, the Review would refer D after a long siege, married These constitute not a coherent theory directly to the son of Paul Ill (1468-1549), Marie Arco...
...They re- straightforward manner, although he rather than his principles, and after a few veal a severe rupture, the cause of which occasionally slips into a loose vernacular, more forays his aspirations of gradually remains unknown, but which appar- referring to one person as a "nut case," educating his English co-religionists drew ently healed...
...After Vatican I, Acton continued to "roped into" the Saint Vincent de Paul Acton then turned his attention and travel and write, but not with the same Society...
...Acton was a true cosmopo- for liberty, and began the collection of a sincere liberal," " as he described himself, lite who was equally at home in Eng- books that led to his seventy-thousandat a time when liberals looked askance at land, France, Germany, and Italy, and in volume library...
...He started and left unfinished a which he described as a historical acci- to his deep sadness, had been excom- number of projects...
...He did not fit comfortably into his the coronation of Tsar Alexander II...
...In both England and Rome there were divided calls for reform...
...His how, as the new squire and a Catholic, he letter to Creighton, whom he was taking to close connections were to afford him should propose the obligatory loyal toast...
...Carl J. Peter was, for many years, Professor of Systematic Theology in the he English hierarchy was Department of Theology...
...of these men would, by themselves, conBorn three years before Vic- It was said of John Emerich Edward stitute a good history of mid-nineteenthQ toria's ascendancy and dying Dalberg-Acton-to give his full and il- century Catholicism in Western Europe...
...Even Dollinger who, ure...
...task for not judging the Inquisitors strict- Newman replied that it might be best to ly enough, that Acton wrote the often avoid the subject of religion altogether...
...Commonweal 3 1 September 8, 2000 To save the magazine, they turned it over over a long period...
...for a favorable consideration of infalli- in which the prime minister was in- But he is also capable of terse, astringent bility...
...It was said of him, according he took charge of an inherited six-thouhis credit, he became the esteemed Regius to Himmelfarb, that at home he spoke sand-acre estate at Aldenham, which had Professor of History at Cambridge...
...He had even historian could pass sure moral judgsulting the Faithful, in Matters of Doctrine, itadvised Newman on the last chapter of ment on historical actions and actors...
...This was a feelings toward authority and thought possibly, attain...
...Raw Faith it through fair, impartial, but morally in- In fifty theme-centered meditations and prayers ISBN 1.893732.18.5 / 192 pages, 5'x I", 512.9 formed journalism...
...theologian at the rank of Ordinary Professor to fill the Carl J. Peter Chair in the Department of Theology of the School of Religious Studies beginning September 2001...
...They obeyed disapprobation...
Vol. 127 • September 2000 • No. 15
