Johann Nepomuk Huber

Johann Nepomuk Huber (August 18, 1830 - March 20, 1879), was a German philosophical and theological writer, and a leader of the "Old Catholic Church".

Life

He was born at Munich. Originally destined for the priesthood, he studied theology from childhood. The writings of Spinoza and Lorenz Oken attracted him to philosophy, and it was in philosophy that he "habilitated" (1854) in the university of his native place, where he ultimately became professor (extraordinarius, 1859; ordinarius, 1864). With Döllinger and others he attracted a large amount of public attention. Firstly in 1869 by the challenge to the Ultramontane promoters of the First Vatican Council in the treatise "Der Papst und das Koncil", which appeared under the pseudonym of "Janus,". Secondly in 1870 by a series of letters ("Römische Briefe", a redaction of secret reports sent from Rome during the sitting of the council), which were published over the pseudonym "Quirinus" in the "Allgemeine Zeitung". He died suddenly of heart disease at Munich.

Works

*The treatise "Über die Willensfreiheit" (1858), followed in 1859 by "Die Philosophie der Kirchenväter", which was promptly placed upon the Index, and led to the prohibition of all Catholic students from attending his lectures.
*"Johannes Scotus Erigena" (1861)
*"Die Idee der Unsterblichkeit" (1864)
*"Studien" (1867)
*"Der Proletarier"
*"Zur Orientirung in der sozialen Frage" (1865)
*"Der Jesuitenorden nach seiner Verfassung und Doctrin, Wirksamkeit und Geschichte" (1873), also placed upon the "Index"
*"Der Pessimismus" (1876)
*"Die Forschung nach der Materie" (1877)
*"Zur Philosophie der Astronomie" (1878)
*"Das Gedächtnis" (1878).

Huber also published adverse criticisms of Charles Darwin, David Strauss, Hartmann and Hackel; pamphlets on "Des Papsttum und der Staat" (1870), and "Die Freiheiten der französischen Kirche" (1871); and a volume of "Kleine Schriften" (1871).

He is mentioned in the Monty Python song "Decomposing Composers".

References

*See E Zirngiebl, "Johannes Huber" (1881); and M Carrière in "Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie", xiii. (1881), and in "Nord und Süd" (1879).