Franz Xaver Christoph Pfyffer from Altishofen

Franz Xaver Christoph Pfyffer von Altishofen (born April 21, 1680 in Lucerne ; † March 29, 1750 in Augsburg ) was a Swiss Jesuit , controversial theologian and pulpit speaker.

Life

Posthumous edition of Pfyffer's sermons (1752)

Franz Xaver Christoph Pfyffer von Altishofen was the eldest son of Christoph Pfyffer and Maria Anna Ursula Amrhyn. He did his high school studies in his hometown, renounced his Fideikommiss title to the rule of Altishofen out of inclination to the clergy and entered the Jesuit order in Rome in 1696 . He then studied philosophy and theology and was ordained a priest in Constance in 1709 . He then held philosophy courses for several years and was court preacher in Neuburg an der Donau , Mannheim and Heidelberg from 1716 to 1722 . After 1722 he was cathedral preacher in Augsburg for 28 years , where he died of a stroke in 1750 at the age of almost 70 .

Of Pfyffer's numerous writings, which were soon forgotten after his death, the collection of his sermons organized after his death ( Christian, Apostolic-Catholic truths ... mostly against Lutheran teachings through publicly held sermons , 2 vols., Augsburg 1752) deserves special mention . In these, Pfyffer shows himself to be a skilful polemicist who defends Catholic doctrine with rich theological knowledge and eloquence. He was also considered one of the best pulpit speakers of his time. The Lutheran doctrine he attacked vigorously and wrote sharp polemics against the Protestants. His main opponent in Augsburg was the Lutheran preacher at the Barefoot Church Gottfried Lomer (1666–1728).

Works (selection)

• Why the evangelicals did not accept the Tridentine Council , 1736
• Miraculous Ascension Dr. Martin Luther , 1746
• The good and bad of the Lutheran Church , 1747
• The good rejected by Lutheranism but returned to us by the honorable clergy , 1750

literature

• Escher: Pfyffer (Franz Xaverius) , in: Johann Samuelansch , Johann Gottfried Gruber : (Ed.): Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste , 3rd section, 21st part (1846), p. 334 f.
• Franz Joseph Schiffmann:  Pfyffer von Altishofen, Franz Xaver Christoph . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 25, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1887, p. 724.
• Urban Fink: Pfyffer, Franz Xaver (from Altishofen). In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . November 15, 2010 , accessed March 5, 2019 .

Web links

• Works by and about Franz Xaver Christoph Pfyffer von Altishofen  in the German Digital Library

Individual evidence

1. ↑ digitized version