On the Pope

Joseph de Maistre's On the Pope (Du Pape), published in 1819, is his magnum opus, the culmination of two decades of dedicated work, and a seminal text that laid the foundation for political ultramontanism. This counter-revolutionary and ultramontane work passionately argues for the absolute spiritual and indirect temporal sovereignty of the Pope as essential for societal and religious order in the tumultuous aftermath of the French Revolution and Napoleonic era. Maistre meticulously defends Papal infallibility and supremacy, dismantling Gallicanism and Protestantism to assert the necessity of a single, unquestionable spiritual head to prevent chaos and maintain doctrinal purity. He argues that Papal infallibility is a practical necessity for governance, not just a theological dogma, and that the Pope, as the successor of St. Peter, holds indirect temporal power to uphold Christian morality and justice within secular realms. The book positions the Papacy as the historical conservator of European civilization, contrasting its unifying influence with the dangers of Enlightenment rationalism and individualism. In essence, On the Pope is a powerful and intellectually rigorous defense of Papal authority as the bedrock of stability, truth, and order, and a defining text of political ultramontanism which advocates for strong Papal authority in both spiritual and indirectly in temporal matters.
ASIN: B09P7PCYHN
VSKU: GBV.B09P7PCYHN.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:de Maistre, Joseph|Dawson, Aeneas McDonell
Binding: Paperback
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: Has a sturdy binding with some shelf wear. May have some markings or highlighting. Used copies may not include access codes or Cd's. Slight bending may be present.