Preserving Unity: the Threats of Catholicism and National Liberal Support of the Kulturkampf

Item

Title
Preserving Unity: the Threats of Catholicism and National Liberal Support of the Kulturkampf
Author
Lillian Collver
Date
27 May 2021
Type
Text; Image; StillImage
Identifier
aes/294
Language
eng
Abstract
My source is Vatican I’s “Dogmatic Constitution Pastor aeternus, on the Church of Christ,” which was released by the Vatican Council on 18 July 1870 and codified the doctrines of papal primacy and infallibility. The doctrine of papal primacy declares the pope as the supreme head of the Church, while the infallibility doctrine declares that when the pope speaks “ex cathedra,” he possesses divine infallibility to define doctrines concerning faith and morals.[1]

The doctrines of primacy and infallibility made Catholics look like a threat to the German nation. Because Catholics were perceived as a threat, the German government initiated a Kulturkampf—literally “culture war”—to preserve German unity from the supposed disuniting threat of Catholicism.


[1] “Vatican I’s Dogmatic Constitution Pastor aeternus, on the Church of Christ.” ewtn.com. Accessed 27 April 2021. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/teachings/vatican-is-dogmatic-constitution-pastor-aeternus-on-the-church-of-christ-243
Rights
Western Oregon University Library has determined, as of 05/27/2021, this item is in copyright, which is held by the author. Users may use the item in accordance with copyright limitations and exceptions, including fair use. For other uses, please ask permission from the author.
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Department
History
Faculty Sponsor
David Doellinger