Title: Julius Charles Hare on the Catholic Revival: "Signs of Hope"*
Abstract: Signs of Hope,1 an essay published in English high church review, Christian Remembrancer, in February 1844, contributes to our understanding of English church in nineteenth century in several ways: It provides view of Catholic revival in period 1839-1845 that differs from dominant persuasion found in literature, which until recently has mainly focused on Tractarian movement. It also points to significant period in history of Remembrancer that has not previously been noticed. The Remembrancer was founded in 1819 as high church review, and from October 1844 until its demise in 1868 it was organ of Tractarians and later generations of churchmen who shared their theology. However, from January 1841 through July 1844 Remembrancer welcomed articles on secular as well as theological and ecclesiastical topics, and its contributors included churchmen who held variety of opinions.2 Like most essays in Remembrancer during this period, Signs of Hope is unsigned, but it is attributable to Julius Charles Hare, as shall be shown in detail below. Signs of Hope contains only review of second edition of F. D. Maurice's The Kingdom of Christ, and also provides new information about Hare. Attribution of this essay to Hare partially fills gap in Hare's bibliography: In 1849, he said that he had written a considerable number of works on religious and ecclesiastical subjects in last ten years,3 and A. P. Stanley, who knew him well, said that until his final illness Hare took an energetic part in all ecclesiastical questions of day.4 Yet his bibliography for period 1839-1849 lists only five entries dealing with contemporary church matters other than his archdeaconal charges.5 Signs of Hope also provides new information about Hare's theological views and his role as churchman during time of crisis in Church of England. It shows that he was well disposed toward Catholic positions held Orthodox churchmen,6 and that as late as February, 1844, time when Tractarians were under siege at Oxford, he was reasonably well disposed toward Tractarian movement, even though he was highly critical of John Henry Newman. Finally, Signs of Hope shows that strong opposition to Roman Catholic Church that Hare expressed in his final archdeaconal charge, The Contest with Rome? was late development. In 1844 he was appreciative of presence of traditional Catholic beliefs and practices in Church of England, appreciated several aspects of Church of Rome, and believed there were things that English Church could profitably learn from Rome.8 The books reviewed include two works R. W. Evans, an Orthodox clergyman; an anthology of selections from works Coleridge and Wordsworth that have religious or theological content; book Charles Smith, millenarian, that demonstrates Catholic aspects of millenarian thought; and second edition of E D. Maurice's The Kingdom of Christ. By reviewing these books, Hare demonstrated that Tractarian movement is not only significant expression of Catholic reform and renewal in English Church. Hare praised Evans's The Rectory of Valehead for interpreting Christian family as microcosm of church, and praised Evans's The Church of God, saying it was saturated with sentiment and spirit of sacred Antiquity.9 His comments on Wordsworth focus on religious aspects of his poetry. He found that Wordsworth's early nature poems point to spiritual reality, and thus prepare readers for the Catholic doctrine of sacraments10 and the sacramental scheme of thought.11 He especially commended Wordsworth's poems about common people, saying that his attack on Mammon worship and his conviction that human beings can not live by bread alone12 expressed Catholic value of inherent dignity of all human beings. Hare cited Smith's millenarian Letters on National Religion as an example of Catholic prophecy, and reminder that theology of English Church is not limited to those whose theological views are widely accepted. …
Publication Year: 2006
Publication Date: 2006-06-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 1
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