John Henry Newman: A Very Brief History

By Eamon Duffy

‘In another world it is otherwise, but here below to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.’
From An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine (1903)

Saint John Henry Newman was one of the most controversial and influential thinkers of his day, and his many writings have remained highly influential since his death in August 1890. He is also widely regarded as one of the finest prose stylists of modern times, as well as a popular poet and hymn-writer.

Published to coincide with Newman’s canonization by Pope Francis in October 2019, this engaging and judicious introduction to Newman’ life and legacy will be welcomed by newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts alike.

• Language: English
• Publisher: SPCK
• Release date: Oct 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9780281078509

Eamon Duffy

Professor Eamon Duffy is Emeritus Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Magdalene College. He is the author of The Stripping of the Altars, Reformation Divided and Royal Books and Holy Bones and appears regularly on radio and television as an authority on religion and the Reformation in England.

Book preview

9780281078509.jpg

JOHN

HENRY

NEWMAN

Newman reading J. R. Seeley’s Ecce Homo, 1866

First published in Great Britain in 2019

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge

36 Causton Street

London SW1P 4ST

www.spck.org.uk

Copyright © Eamon Duffy 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

SPCK does not necessarily endorse the individual views contained in its publications.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 0 281 07849 3

eBook ISBN 978 0 281 07850 9

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Typeset by The Book Guild Ltd, Leicester

eBook by The Book Guild Ltd, Leicester

In piam memoriam

Hamish F. G. Swanston and

Charles Stephen Dessain, Cong. Orat.

who led me to Newman

Contents

Chronology

1Introduction

2Newman and the Fathers

3Faith and doubt

4Newman’s Catholicism

5Man of letters

6Legacy

Further Reading

Notes

Chronology