Heinrich Förster (bishop)
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Heinrich Förster (1800-1881) was a German Roman Catholic
bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
who was deposed during the
Kulturkampf In the history of Germany, the ''Kulturkampf'' (Cultural Struggle) was the seven-year political conflict (1871–1878) between the Catholic Church in Germany led by Pope Pius IX and the Kingdom of Prussia led by chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Th ...
in Germany.


Biography

He was born at Grossglogau on 24 November 1799, was educated at Breslau, and in 1837 was appointed chief preacher at the Cathedral of Breslau. In 1853 he was elected bishop. At the numerous synods and councils which he attended, he revealed himself as a stanch defender of the orthodox Roman Catholic creed, although he opposed the dogma of
papal infallibility Papal infallibility is a Dogma in the Catholic Church, dogma of the Catholic Church which states that, in virtue of the promise of Jesus to Saint Peter, Peter, the Pope when he speaks is preserved from the possibility of error on doctrine "in ...
at the Council of the Vatican. In 1875, after repeated conflicts with the
Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
n
May Laws Temporary regulations regarding the Jews (also known as May Laws) were residency and business restrictions on Jews in the Russian Empire, proposed by minister Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatyev and enacted by Tsar Alexander III on . Originally, intende ...
, a court declared him deposed from his see, a unilateral act without ecclesiastical effect, but de facto executed in the Prussian bulk part of the diocese. Before the sentence Förster had moved to the prince-episcopal summer residence Johannesberg Castle in Jauernig in Silesia in the
Bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, originally practised by 19th–20th century European and American artists and writers. * Bohemian style, a ...
part of the diocese. In that part of the diocese in Bohemian Silesia Förster remained the acting prince-bishop also observing his task as member of the Silesian parliament, which he, as prince-bishop, held
ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, or council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by r ...
. He died in Jauernig on 20 October 1881. He was a noted pulpit orator.


Works

His principal works are: * ''Der Ruf der Kirche in die Gegenwart'' (4th ed. 1879) * ''Die christliche Familie'' (6th ed. 1893) * ''Kardinal Diepenbrock. Ein Lebensbild'' (3d ed. 1878) * ''Gesammelte Kanzelvorträge'' (5th ed. 1879)


Notes


References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Forster, Heinrich 1800 births 1881 deaths People from Głogów Prince-bishops of Breslau Members of the Diet of Austrian Silesia Members of the Frankfurt Parliament 19th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Poland