Johann Adam Möhler

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Johann Adam Möhler (May 6, 1796 - April 12, 1838), was a German theologian.

He was born at Igersheim in Württemberg, and after studying philosophy and theology in the lyceum at Ellwangen, entered the University of Tübingen in 1817. Ordained to the priesthood in 1819, he was appointed to a curacy. He returned to Tübingen where he became privatdozent in 1825, extraordinary professor of theology in 1826 and ordinary professor in 1828. His lectures drew large audiences, including many Protestants. The controversy aroused by his Symbolik (1832) was such that in 1835 he left for the University of Munich. In 1838 he was appointed to the deanery of Würzburg, but died shortly afterwards.

Möhler wrote:

Die Einheit in der Kirche oder das Princip des Katholicismus (Tübingen, 1825)
Athanasius der Grosse u. d. Kirche seiner Zeit (2 vols., Mainz, 1827)
Symbolik, oder Darstellung der dogmatischen Gegensätze der Katholiken u. Protestanten nach ihren öffentlichen Bekenntnissschriften (Mainz, 1832; 8th ed., 1871-1872; Eng. trans. by S. B. Robertson, 1843)
Neue Untersuchungen der Lehrgegensätze zwischen den Katholiken u. Protestanten (1834)
Gesammelte Schriften u. Aufsatze, edited by Döllinger (1839)
Patrologie by Reithmayr (1839)

A Biographie by Balthasar Wörner was published at Regensburg in 1866.

The Symbolik is his most famous work; the interest excited by it in Protestant circles is shown by the fact that within two years of its appearance it had elicited three replies of considerable importance, those namely of FC Baur, PK Marheineke and KI Nitzsch. Although characterized by learning and acuteness, as well as by considerable breadth of spiritual sympathy, it was not accepted by Catholics themselves as embodying an accurate objective view of the doctrine of their church.

The liberal school of thought of which Möhler was a prominent exponent was discouraged in official circles. Protestants complained that the author failed to grasp the Reformation as a movement, and dwelled on the doctrinal shortcomings, inconsistencies and contradictions of its leaders.