Joseph Görres
Joseph Görres was a prominent German thinker born in 1776 in Koblenz, known for his contributions to the fields of education, philosophy, and Catholicism. Initially influenced by the ideals of the French Revolution, Görres's perspective shifted after a revealing trip to Paris, leading him to critique the consequences of unrestrained liberty. He worked as a physics teacher and engaged with the German Romantic movement during his time in Heidelberg. His advocacy for civil liberties put him at odds with Prussian authorities, resulting in his relocation to Strasbourg. Görres became increasingly focused on the intersection of spirituality and education, ultimately participating in a significant meeting in 1827 at the University of Munich that sought to modernize Church laws. His notable work, "Die christliche Mystik," explored themes of Christian mysticism, aiming to reconcile faith with contemporary thought. In his later years, Görres emerged as a defender of Church authority and was critical of those he believed undermined its unity. By the end of his life at seventy-two, he had solidified his status as a central figure in German Catholicism during the early nineteenth century.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Joseph Görres
Writer
- Born: January 25, 1776
- Birthplace: Koblenz, Germany
- Died: January 29, 1848
- Place of death: München, Germany
Biography
Joseph Görres was born in Koblenz, Germany, near the Rhine river valley, in 1776. A rationalist republican thinker even at a very early age who studied at the gymnasium of Koblenz, Görres greatly admired the French Revolution and what it represented. He changed his mind, however on a fateful trip to Paris ten years later; the trip opened his eyes to the disasters that were created by France’s embrace of freedom. Back in Koblenz he married Catherine von Lasaulx and became a physics teacher at the local college. He translated a few scientific works and conducted his own research.
Görres briefly moved to Heidelberg to get more involved with the German Romantic movement. Following his return, he was appointed superintendent of education at the college and set about exploring mythology. His outspoken belief in the importance of civil liberty got him in trouble with Prussian authorities and forced his departure to Strasbourg. Increasingly he became a greater advocate of Church-centered spiritual life. In 1827 he was called to the University of Munich for a special meeting of Catholics, which resulted in the renovation of laws that allowed the Church to embrace more civil liberties and to adapt to changing times and ideologies.
Görres’s most-famous work, Die christliche Mystik, discussed Christian mysticism and served to wholly unify the Church and abolish superficial rationalism once and for all. Later in life, Görres was a staunch defender of Church power, and he sharply criticized Prussia for jailing the archbishop of Cologne. He also attacked Johann Ronge for splintering the faith. By the time Görres died at age seventy-two, he had established himself as the key figure in German Catholicism during the first half of the nineteenth century.