Between Reproach and Compliment: Prologue to the Apologetics of Catholicism by J. H. Newman in a Review Lecture from the Cycle «Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England»

Abstract

The article discusses an introductory lecture from the series «Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England» by J. H. Newman. John Henry Newman is a versatile figure in 19th century English society, with his interests spanning philosophy, theology, church history and education; he opened Catholic oratorio schools and the new Catholic University in Dublin. He wrote tracts on vision for the Church of England and the search for a middle way between the high and low church of England during his activity as one of the leaders of the Oxford movement, which he joined a Protestant and left it a Catholic, becoming a cardinal in 1879. After some controversy, Newman was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on September 19, 2010. Since becoming a Catholic, Newman had devoted himself to the apologetics of the Catholic Church in England and the development of education for Catholics. It was for this purpose that he wrote Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England. The article concerns the first lecture of the entire series, since its rhetoric sets the perspective of a dispute with English Protestants with the aim of further revealing the complex issue of the social practice of anti-Catholicism and, at the same time, apologetics of the Catholic Church in the next eight lectures of the cycle. The practice of accusing and attacking Catholics by Protestants gave rise to Newman’s public protest against it. However, the lecturer remained within the framework of a respectful attitude towards the Protestant part of the audience, illustrating its incorrectness and one-sidedness of judgments with fables and examples from literature.

Keywords

• anti-catholicism
• english protestantism
• religious conflict
• victorianism
• fable
• apologetics