Leibniz on the Nature of the Church.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gonzalez-Ferrer, Avelino, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm, Freiherr von, 1646-1716.

Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm.

God (Christianity).

Metaphysics.

Religion--Philosophy.

Religion.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (401 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Distribution:

New York : Bloomsbury Publishing (US), 2025.

Place of Publication:

London : T&T Clark, 2025.

System Details:

text file rdaft

Summary:

Argues how Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) may provide the key to unlocking the most difficult issue in the search for Christian unity today: our understanding of the nature of the Church itself.

Contents:

Cover

Half Title

Title Page

Dedication

Contents

Preface

Abbreviations

Introduction

Chapter 1: Historical Background of Leibniz's Formation

Post-Reformation Conflict and the Search for Ecclesial Unity

The Thirty Years' War and the Westphalia Peace Treaty

The Rise of the Modern "State" and the Impact of Jurisprudence

Confessio Augustana (1530) and Council of Trent (1545-63)

Church Unity and Attempts at Ecclesial Reunification

Influence of Scientific, Mathematical, and Philosophical Revolutions

The Telescope and the Observations of the Outer World of the Cosmos

The Microscope and the Observations of the Inner World of Microorganisms

The Cartesian Revolution

What Is Nature? The Crisis of Universals and the Particular

Nominalism's Effect on the Concept of Nature

Nominalism's Effect on the Understanding of the Nature of the Church

The Central Debate of the Eucharist, Transubstantiation, and Real Presence

The Eucharist and Attempts at Ecclesial Reconciliation

Origins and Continuity of the Doctrine of Transubstantiation

Influence of Popular Devotion of the Eucharist in the Seventeenth Century

Summary

Chapter 2: Development of Leibniz's Ecclesiology (Early and Middle Years: 1646-89)

Preliminary Reflection on Leibniz's Personalism

The Church Is Like a Sacred Republic

Some Important Background on the Education of Leibniz

Early Years (1646-71)

The Academic Environment and Leibniz's Early Formative Years in Leipzig (1646-67)

Philosophy at Leipzig

Nuremburg, Frankfurt, and Mainz (March 1666-March 1671)

De Arte Combinatoria (1666)

Catholic Court of Mainz: An Ecumenical Turning Point

Nova Methodus Dissende Docendaeque Jurisprudentiate (1667)

The Ecclesiological Vision Widens

Influence of Herborn School and Alstead's Encyclopedia Movement.

Bisterfeld's immeatio and perichoresis

Ramism and Semi-Ramists

Mathematical and Scientific Turning Point

Correspondence with Jacob Thomasius

Leibniz's Concern for a Growing Skepticism and Atheism

Demonstrationes Catholicae (1668-70)

De Transubstantiatione (1668)

Middle Years I: Paris, London, Holland (1672-6)

Galileo's Discorsi and Its influence on Leibniz's Confessio Philosophi

Leibniz and Rene Descartes

Travels to London and Holland (1673-6)

De Summa Rerum (1675)

Leibniz and Baruch Spinoza

Middle Years II: Hannover and Lower Saxony (1676-87)

The Theological Vision Sharpens

The Concept of Divine Economy in Leibniz's Ecclesiology

Scientia Generalis and Characteristica Universalis (1679-90)

Discours de métaphysique (1685/6)

Examen Religionis Christanae (1686-90)

Middle Years III: Southern Germany, Austria, and Italy (1688-90)

Leibniz in Rome (April 14-November 20, 1689)

The Phoranomus and Dynamica-Leibniz's Ontological Breakthrough

Leibnizian Mysticism

Chapter 3: Toward a Final Theory on the Church (Later Period: 1690-1716)

Preliminary Reflection on the Influence of St. Augustine of Hippo on Leibniz

Hannover and Wolfenbuttle (1690-98)

Specimen Dynamicum (1695)

Doctrine of Two Kingdoms

Leibniz's New System: Application of Dynamics to Theology

Leibniz's Theory of Preestablished Harmony

The Church as a "Moral Person"

Reunification Talks between Lutherans and Calvinists

Unvorgreiffliches Bedecken (1698)

Short-lived Final Attempt at Catholic-Protestant Reunion Talks

Kurtze Vorstellung (1697)

Tentamen expositionis irenicae (1698)

Unvorgreiffliches Bedecken (1699)

Hannover and Berlin (February 1699-February 1705)

Nouveaux Essais (1705)

Leibniz's Personalism in the New Essays.

Hannover, Berlin, Wolfenbuttel, and Vienna (February 1706-September 1714)

Theodicy (1710)

Principles of Nature and Grace Founded on Reason (1714)

Monadology (1714)

Chapter 4: Recurring Themes of Leibnizian Ecclesiology

Church as Being

Foundations of the Church

Trinitarian Mystery as Principle of Unity and Multiplicity

Unity and Multiplicity

Preexisting Universal Church

The Permanent Origin of the Church in Jesus Christ

Church as Invisible and Visible Subject

Love of God as "Charity of the Wise" (caritas sapientis)

Church as Metaphysical Reality

Leibniz's Ecclesial Personalism (Church as "Moral Person")

The Person Is Suppositum

Civil and Moral Persons

The Civil Person Is the Collection of All Rights

Church as Commonwealth

Universal Substance

Ecclesial Memory as Principle of Identity and Continuity

Necessity of the Sacraments

Sacramental (Mysterious) Character of the Church

Wisdom and Beauty

Church as Action

The Church as Society: Kingdom and "Respublica"

Happiness and Moral Responsibility

"City of God" as Society and Communion

Divine Will as Entelechy

Love of God and Neighbor as the Capstone of Leibniz's Ecclesiology

Heresy, Schism, Tolerance, Infallibility

Communion, Structure, and Economy

Economy of Divine Grace as oeconomia salutis nostrae

Hierarchical Order of Being as oeconomia ecclesiae

Petrine Ministry as visibile centrum unitatis

The Indefectibility of the Church as divinae oeconomiae rationem

Eschatology as Perfection (commune bonum)

Conclusion

Bibliography

Canonical, magisterial, and theological documents

Index

About the Author.

ISBN:

1-9787-4765-9

9798765154618

OCLC:

1535156416