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Document Details : Title: The Earliest Phase of the Jansenist Controversy among the Flemish Capuchins, Part I Subtitle: Hildebrand's Interpretation and the Case of Eugenius of Bruges Author(s): PARTOENS, Gert Journal: Augustiniana Volume: 61 Issue: 1-2 Date: 2011 Pages: 155-185 DOI: 10.2143/AUG.61.1.3294604 Abstract : The last and most thorough treatment of the Jansenist controversy among the Capuchins of the Flandro-Belgian Province was published in 1951/1957 by Hildebrand of Hooglede (O.F.M.Cap.). The present article, which consists of two parts and is based on a large selection of unedited or previously neglected documents, assesses Hildebrand's methodology and (some of his) conclusions. The first part shows that Hildebrand's account of the controversy depends to a high extent on the apologetic discourse that was used by one of the parties involved in the controversy and that is best illustrated by the Compendiosa et historica enarratio miserrimi status Prouinciae Flandro-Belgicae fratrum Minorum Capucinorum by Michael of Oudenbosch and Angelus of Antwerp (1700). In addition, it is shown that by using a purely formal definition of Jansenism, Hildebrand managed to deny the existence of any 'real' Jansenist among his predecessors of the 17th and 18th centuries. A detailed analysis of some works by Eugenius of Bruges (1680s) proves that the use of this purely formal definition has lead to historically untenable conclusions. The article's second part (which will appear in the next issue of this journal) will examine a claim by Silvester of Hasselt in his Ad enarrationem compendiosam et historicam responsio fidelis et sincera (1700), according to which Augustinus of 's Hertogenbosch and especially Fulgentius of Maaseik were the first to propagate Jansenius' teaching within the Flandro-Belgian Province. It is shown against Hildebrand that the anti-Jansenist decree that was issued by Provincial Patricius of Hazebroek in 1668, had indeed been provoked by Fulgentius of Maaseik's theological course at Antwerp during the years 1665-1668. Just like his disciple Eugenius was to do in the 1680s, Fulgentius championed the doctrines presented in the Augustinus, the consequence being that Silvester of Hasselt and other anti-Jansenists, who were convinced that Jansenius' book was rightly condemned by Innocent X and Alexander VII, did have serious theological (and not only personal or political) motivs for accusing him of having been a Jansenist heretic. |
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