Austria and Rome | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 7, 1868

Austria and Rome.

THE cable has recently informed us of the passage, in both Houses of the Austrian Parliament, of a bill introduced by the Government for the compulsory introduction of civil marriage. The passage of this bill is likely to be one of the most important events of the ecclesiastical history of the year 1868, and one of the most serious blows which of late has been given to the claims of the Church of Rome upon the government of Roman Catholic States. A few remarks on the past relations of Rome to the European State governments, and to Austria in particular, will facilitate a correct understanding of the importance of the step which, after long deliberation, has just been taken by the Government and the people of Austria.

The Popes of the Middle Ages—especially Gregory VII, Innocent III, and Alexander VI,—endeavored to establish the absolute sovereignty of the Pope over all secular governments. This theory they never succeeded in fully carrying through, and no real attempt has been made to enforce it since Boniface VIII, who had to pay dearly for putting forth the ultra-Papal claims against the King of France. In modern times, the Church of Rome, though she has not disowned any of the claims of the Popes, has seen the impossibility of carrying them out, and she has endeavored to secure by Concordat the aid of the secular governments at least for obtaining some direct influence upon the populations nominally Roman Catholic. All these Concordats have been the subject of long conflicts, for hardly any secular government was found willing to grant the claims of the Pope. Among those most favorable to Rome was the Austrian Concordat of the year 1855. Austrian statesmen were of opinion that the co-operation of the Church might be of great service in educating the young in anti-liberal and conservative political views, and, generally, repressing the liberal tendencies of the population. Austria recognized only a few churches beside the Roman Catholic. It put great obstacles in the way of any who were desirous of leaving the Roman Catholic Church, and thus millions were induced not to separate from it formally, on account of the civil inconveniences which such a step would entail. By granting to the Church an almost absolute control of public instruction, and all matters relating to marriage, the Austrian Government put it in a more favorable position than it enjoyed in almost any other European State.

The result of this legislation has not been in accordance with the expectation of either the Austrian or the Papal Government. The aversion of the Austrian people to the demands of the Roman priesthood increased. When, after the disastrous war of 1866, the Government showed an intention to establish a truly constitutional and Liberal form of government, one of the first and most urgent demands of the Liberal party was the abolition of the detested Concordat, and, with it, of all influence of the Church upon State affairs. No other concession to the Liberal party of Austria has probably been made by the government with so great reluctance; but it has been made.

To conciliate the court of Rome as much as possible, its consent to a liberal modification of the Concordat was solicited; but when no response to this request was made, the Liberal ministry which had been appointed by the Emperor prepared, of its own accord, laws embodying the sentiments of the party respecting education and marriage. The law on the latter subject provides that henceforth no one shall be compelled by the State to have his marriage solemnized by a priest, but that a civil contract, concluded before the civil magistrate, will meet the demands of the State. There has been great rejoicing over this law in all Austria. It is hailed as the first of a series of laws which will do away with compulsion in matters of religion. The State henceforth will bring no improper influence to bear upon any man, to induce him to become or remain a Roman Catholic, or to educate his children in that faith; and the Church in Austria, to carry out its views, will have to rely on its own strength exclusively.

The Roman Catholic papers of Austria and Germany freely admit that a very large portion of the population of Austria has emancipated itself from the influence of the Church of Rome. There is not a dozen of ultra-montane members in the House of Representatives, which consists of some three hundred members, and, what is still more surprising, even in the House of Lords the clerical party is in a minority. It may be reasonably expected that the prospects of Protestantism in Austria will now greatly improve, and that rapid progress will be made toward a complete separation between Church and State.—The Methodist.