Eminent Victorians · Theme
Religion and Authority
How Eminent Victorians develops Religion and Authority.
The book examines the shifting role of religious faith and institutional authority in the Victorian era, particularly through Cardinal Manning's rise within the Catholic Church and the conflicts between faith, science, and liberalism.
Where it surfaces
- Cardinal Manning
The chapter examines Manning's role as a Prince of the Church, his asceticism, and his ability to command influence in both religious and secular spheres, reflecting the enduring power of religious authority.
- I
The influence of Evangelical Christianity and the authority of the Church shape Manning's early life and decisions.
- II
The chapter explores the tension between the established Church's authority and the revivalist claims of the Oxford Movement, which sought to restore apostolic succession and supernatural faith.
- III
Newman's struggle with the authority of the Church of England versus Rome, and the role of the Bishop of Rome in defining orthodoxy, are central to the narrative.
- IV
The chapter centers on Manning's struggle with the authority of the Church of England versus the Roman Catholic Church, triggered by the Gorham judgment and the Royal Supremacy.
- V
The chapter explores the struggle for authority within the Roman Catholic Church in England, between the Old Catholics and the new converts, and the role of the Pope and Cardinal Wiseman.
- VI
Manning's use of ecclesiastical power to suppress Newman's influence exemplifies the struggle over authority within the Church, contrasting autocratic rule with spiritual independence.
- VII
The chapter explores the struggle over Papal Infallibility, highlighting the tension between religious dogma and political power, as well as the internal debates within the Church.
- VIII
Manning's despotic zeal in ruling his diocese, his role in the Metaphysical Society, and his apocalyptic lectures on the Antichrist and the authority of the Church.
- Chapter IX
The chapter explores the authority of the Pope, the Vatican's internal politics, and the personal conflicts between Manning and Newman within the Catholic hierarchy.
- Manning's Final Years and Legacy
Manning's devotion to the Holy Ghost and his obedience to Divine Authority are central to his final years and death.
- IV
Nightingale's mystical meditations, her correspondence with Jowett, and her views on God as a 'glorified sanitary engineer' reflect her unconventional religious beliefs.
- Dr. Arnold
Arnold modeled his governance on the Old Testament, establishing a theocracy where the Sixth Form acted as judges under his remote authority.
