Herman Schell

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Hermann Schell

Jakob Herman Schell - often also Hermann - (born February 28, 1850 in Freiburg im Breisgau ; † May 31, 1906 in Würzburg ) was a German Roman Catholic theologian and philosopher as well as university preacher and rector of the University of Würzburg .

Life

Board at the house at Pfarrgasse 6 in Amorbach

After visiting the Grand Ducal Lyceum in Freiburg, he entered the local theologian convict there in 1868 and studied philosophy and Catholic theology at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg , including with the neo-scholastic dogmatist Konstantin von Schaezler and with the late Christian idealist Jakob Sengler . After he was released from the Konvikt in 1870 for disciplinary reasons, Schell moved to the Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg . There he worked with Franz Brentano (who left the Catholic Church in 1879) on his philosophical dissertation on the unity of soul life developed from the principles of Aristotelian philosophy , which he submitted to Jakob Sengler in Freiburg in 1872 and published in 1873.

Schell was a member of the KStV Walhalla Würzburg in the KV from his student days in Würzburg until his death and was also involved in the KV later. He became an honorary member of other Catholic student associations in Würzburg, including the KDStV Cheruscia Würzburg (1898), the KDStV Gothia Würzburg (1901) and the KDStV Thuringia Würzburg (1904), all in CV . For the KDStV Thuringia Würzburg, he donated the motto “Forward and Upward” when the corporation was founded.

After his ordination on August 17, 1873 by the Würzburg Bishop Johann Valentin von Reissmann , he was initially chaplain and religion teacher in Amorbach and Obertheres for six years . In 1879 he continued his theological studies in Rome. Returning in 1881, he worked in pastoral care in Margetshöchheim , Dimbach and Marktheidenfeld , while at the same time completing his theological dissertation with the title The Work of the Triune God . The thesis was accepted as a doctoral thesis by the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen in November 1883 and published in 1885. As early as the winter semester 1884/85 he was appointed professor of apologetics , Christian art history and archeology in Würzburg . In 1888 he finally became full professor of apologetics and Christian archeology. In 1890 he also took over the representation of the dogmatics professorship and from 1894 the comparative religious studies and Christian art history were added.

From 1892 he also worked as a university preacher, whose Sunday speeches, as he himself wrote in 1899, were very popular.

Between 1889 and 1893 he presented his three-volume Catholic Dogmatics . A proper appointment to the dogmatics chair failed due to an intervention by the bishop. In 1895/96 he published the first two volumes of his complete apologetics under the title The divine truth of Christianity . In 1896/97 he was rector of the University of Würzburg. Under his rectorate, the New University on Sanderring was inaugurated on October 28, 1896 and placed under the motto Veritati , immortalized at the main entrance of the building . In 1897 he published his reform paper Der Katholicismus als Principle of Progress , in which he complained of insufficient attention to independent and responsible believers and pleaded for more freedom and diversity in the church as well as for an open dialogue, and in 1898 his reform paper Die neue Time and the old belief in which he again defended his position. Both reform writings made him internationally known and brought him, caused by his ultra-conservative opponents (such as the cathedral priest Karl Braun), an index of his works in Rome. The announcement of the index decree on February 24, 1899 sparked indignation in Würzburg. Schell was personally very affected by the decree, he submitted to this decision and remained loyal to his church despite further hostility from his opponents. Between 1901 and 1905 he published Religion and Revelation , Yahweh and Christ and Christ. The Gospel and its significance in world history . These works were not objected to.

From neo-scholastic theologians, he was, however, continue to monism , rationalism and Protestantism accused. Despite the backing of the Würzburg bishop Ferdinand von Schlör , these disputes also put a great strain on Schell's health. On May 31, 1906, he died of heart failure at the age of 56. On Pentecost Sunday, as the later also indexed Sebastian Merkle reported in the Würzburger General-Anzeiger in 1933 , he was buried with the participation of many. The academic funeral ceremony was held on June 11, 1906 in the Würzburg University Church. The grave monument for him, regarded by conservative church circles as a provocation at the time, was unveiled on July 18, 1908. Schell's successor in Würzburg was Philipp Kneib .

The indexed theses of Schell have meanwhile been largely recognized by the Second Vatican Council .

Herman Schell Institute

The Herman Schell Institute was founded in 1971 at the University of Würzburg as a scientific institution for research into the philosophical and theological work of Herman Schell. So far, the work of the institute has mainly been shaped by the research of Josef Hasenfuß , Paul-Werner Scheele and Eugen Biser .

Publications (selection)

A complete list can be found on the website of the Shell Institute of the Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg (Chair of Dogmatics).

Original editions

  • The unity of soul life developed from the principles of Aristotelian philosophy (Diss. Phil.), Freiburg im Breisgau 1873
  • The work of the Triune God (Diss. Theol.), Mainz 1885
  • Catholic dogmatics
    • Volume 1: From the sources of Christian revelation. Of God's existence and nature . Schöningh, Paderborn 1889
    • Volume 2: The Theology of the Triune God. The cosmology of revelation . Schöningh, Paderborn 1891
    • Volume 3: Incarnation and Redemption. Sanctification and consummation . Schöningh, Paderborn 1893
  • The divine truth of Christianity
    • Volume 1: God and Spirit. First part: basic questions . Schöningh, Paderborn 1895
    • Volume 2: God and Spirit. Part two: evidence . Schöningh, Paderborn 1896
  • Catholicism as the principle of progress . Göbel, Würzburg 1897
  • The problem of the spirit with special consideration of the triune concept of God and the biblical idea of ​​creation. Academic speech to celebrate the 315th anniversary of the Foundation […]. Stürtz, Würzburg 1897; 2nd edition Göbel, Würzburg 1898.
  • The new time and the old belief. A study of cultural history . Göbel, Würzburg 1898
  • Apology of Christianity :
    • Volume 1: Religion and Revelation . Schöningh, Paderborn 1902
    • Volume 2: Yahweh and Christ . Schöningh, Paderborn 1905
  • Christ. The Gospel and its significance in world history . Kirchheim, Mainz 1903

Newer editions

  • Catholic dogmatics . Critical edition, edited, introduced and commented by Josef Hasenfuß (Volume 3 by Heinrich Petri) and Paul-Werner Scheele. Schöningh, Munich / Paderborn / Vienna 1968–1994.
  • Apology of Christianity (reprinted in a volume by Paderborn 1902–1905). Minerva, Frankfurt 1967, ISBN 3-86598-356-1 .
  • The work of the Triune God (reprint from Mainz 1885). Minerva, Frankfurt 1968, ISBN 3-86598-371-5
  • The divine truth of Christianity. God and Spirit (reprinted in a volume by Paderborn 1895–1896). Minerva, Frankfurt 1968, ISBN 3-86598-171-2 .
  • Herman Schell, the new time and the old belief. Four theological program documents (edited by Thomas Franz). Echter, Würzburg 2006, ISBN 3-429-02847-7 .
  • The cultural significance of the world religions. Five writings on religious studies (edited by Thomas Franz). Echter, Würzburg 2007, ISBN 3-429-02849-3 .

Literature (selection)

A complete list can be found on the website of the Schell Institute of the Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg (Chair of Dogmatics).

  • Vincent Berning : Herman Schell's Thought. The philosophical systematics of his theology unfolded genetically (= contributions to the recent history of Catholic theology. Volume 8). Ludgerus Verlag Hubert Wingen, Essen 1964, DNB 450410560 (also dissertation Munich [1964]).
  • Ernst Commer : The latest phase of the quick quarrel. An answer to the defense of Schell by Prof. Dr. Kiefl and Dr. Hennemann. Kirsch, Vienna 1909.
  • Josef Hasenfuß : Herman Schell. Personality and work. (A 100th birthday commemoration). In: Würzburg diocesan history sheets. Volume 14/15. 1952/1953, pp. 681-723.
  • Karl Hausberger : Herman Schell (1850-1906). A theological fate under the spell of the modernism controversy (= sources and studies on the recent history of theology. Volume 3), Pustet, Regensburg 1999, ISBN 3-7917-1663-8 .
  • Raimund Lachner :  Herman Schell. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 9, Bautz, Herzberg 1995, ISBN 3-88309-058-1 , Sp. 88-99.  ([ http://www.bautz.de/bbkl/s/s1/schell_h.shtml ( Memento from July 16, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Article / beginning of the article in the Internet archive])
  • Otmar Meuffels , Rainer Dvorak (ed.): Truth of God - freedom of thought. Herman Schell as a source of inspiration for theology and the church . Commemorative publication on the occasion of his 150th birthday. Schöningh, Würzburg 2001 (= sources and research on the history of the diocese and monastery of Würzburg. Volume 57), ISBN 3-87717-061-7 .
  • Karl Mühleck: Dynamic Community. On Herman Schell's teaching about the Church. Schöningh, Munich / Paderborn / Vienna 1972 (= treatises on philosophy, psychology, sociology of religion and ecumenism. New series. ) Volume 29. (At the same time theological dissertation Würzburg 1972).
  • Karl Josef Rivinius : Integralism and Reform Catholicism. The controversy surrounding Herman Schell . In: Wilfried Loth (Ed.): German Catholicism in transition to modernity (= denomination and society. Volume 3), Stuttgart 1991, pp. 199–218.
  • Paul-Werner Scheele : Herman Schell in dialogue. Contributions to the work and impact of Herman Schell . Echter, Würzburg 2006, ISBN 3-429-02819-1 .
  • Paul-Werner Scheele: The one belief and the many religions. Herman Schell's Contribution to Interreligious Dialogue . In: Thomas Franz, Hanjo Sauer (Ed.): Faith in the world of today. Theology and Church after the Second Vatican Council. Festschrift for Elmar Klinger . Vol. 2: Discourse fields. Echter Verlag, Würzburg 2006. ISBN 978-3-429-02854-1 , pp. 228-243.
  • Otto Weiß :  Schell, Jakob Herman. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 22, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 2005, ISBN 3-428-11203-2 , p. 648 f. ( Digitized version ).
  • Claus Arnold : "Catholic theology has not seen such beautiful days for a long time". On the 100th anniversary of the death of Herman Schell († 31.5.1906). In: Theological Review. Volume 102, 2006, No. 5, pp. 355-362 (literature review).
  • Klaus Wittstadt : Church and State in the 20th Century. In: Ulrich Wagner (Hrsg.): History of the city of Würzburg. 4 volumes, Volume I-III / 2, Theiss, Stuttgart 2001-2007; III / 1–2: From the transition to Bavaria to the 21st century. 2007, ISBN 978-3-8062-1478-9 , pp. 453–478 and 1304 f., Here: pp. 453–455 ( “The new time and the old faith” (H. Schell) - Würzburg as the center of Controversy over reform Catholicism and modernism ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Cf. also Anton Ph. Brück : Franz Brentano's judgment on the young Schell. In: Würzburg diocesan history sheets. Volume 16/17, 1954/1955, p. 399 f.
  2. ↑ Klaus Witt City (2007), p 453rd
  3. ↑ Klaus Witt City: church and state in the 20th century. 2007, p. 453.
  4. ↑ Klaus Witt City (2007), p 453 f.
  5. ↑ See for example: Von Salvisberg: Professor Schell and the Roman Index Decree. In: Hochschul-Nachrichten. Volume 9, 1898/1899, pp. 113-116.
  6. ↑ Sebastian Merkle : On the paths of the Apostle of the Nations. Memorial speech at the academic funeral ceremony for Herman Schell, held in the University Church of Würzburg on June 11, 1906. Kirchheim, Mainz 1906.
  7. ↑ Klaus Witt City: church and state in the 20th century. 2007, pp. 453-455 and 1304.
personal data
SURNAME Schell, Herman
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Catholic theologian and philosopher
DATE OF BIRTH February 28, 1850
PLACE OF BIRTH Freiburg in Breisgau
DATE OF DEATH May 31, 1906
Place of death Wurzburg