HETTINGER, FRANZ

Theologian; b. Aschaffenburg, Jan. 13, 1819; d. Würzburg, Jan. 26, 1890. He was ordained in 1843 and took his doctorate in theology at the German college in Rome in 1845. He taught at the Würzburg seminary until 1856, when he was appointed professor of patrology at the university. His entire life centered around the University of Würzburg to which he and his colleagues J. hergenrÖther and H. J. denzinger brought a notable reputation for theological studies. He held the chairs of apologetics and homiletics, filled two terms as rector, and succeeded his friend Denzinger as professor of dogma.

His reputation for learning spread throughout Europe. In 1859 he was made an honorary doctor of philosophy at Würzburg; in 1866, an honorary member of the college of doctors in theology of the University of Vienna; in 1884, an honorary doctor of theology at Louvain; and in the following year, an honorary member of the Academia religionis Catholicae of Rome. In 1867 he and Hergenröther were named consultors for the preparation of vatican council i. Objections were raised, which resulted in the appointment of other German consultors. These objections, however, were not against either man personally but against the exclusive choice of members of the Würzburg faculty. Yet this incident shows the high regard in which the theological faculty at Würzburg was held especially because of its three distinguished professors, who strongly supported Roman ideas particularly against those espoused by J. J. I. von dÖllinger and others at Munich. Hettinger accepted a role at the Vatican Council only on condition that it would not interfere with his teaching. He was named to the dogmatic commission. In 1879 Leo XIII, who called upon him to prepare the German translations of his great encyclicals, named Hettinger a domestic prelate.

Both at the beginning and at the end of his professorial career he wrote practical books for priests: Das Priesterthum der katholischen Kirche (Regensburg 1851), Die Liturgie der Kirche (Würzburg 1856), Aphorismen für Predigt und Prediger (Freiburg 1888), Timotheus, Brief an einen jungen Theologen (Freiburg 1891). One of his most popular publications was a collection of essays occasioned by his travels and called Aus Kirche und Welt (Freiburg 1885). Throughout his life he was enamored of the works of Dante, concerning which he published numerous articles and important books: Grundidee und Charakter der Göttlichen Komödie des Dante Alighieri (Bonn 1876), Die Theologie der Göttlichen Komödie (Cologne 1879), Die Göttliche Komödie des Dante Alighieri nach ihrem wesentlicher Inhalt und Charakter dargestellt (Freiburg 1880), Dante und Beatrice (Frankfurt 1883), and Dantes Geistesgang (Cologne 1888).

Hettinger's great contribution to apologetics, Apologie des Christenthums (Freiburg), was first published between 1863 and 1867. There were six editions during his lifetime; three more editions after his death, edited by his pupil E. Müller, the latest from 1914 to 1918; and translations into French, English, Spanish, and Portuguese. This is certainly one of the great works of 19th-century apologetics.

Bibliography: h. hurter, Nomenclator literarius theologiae catholicae, 5 v. in 6 (3d ed. Innsbruck 1903–13) 5.2:1433–35. j. hasenfuss, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner, 10 v. (2d, new ed. Freiburg 1957–65) 5:314. e. mangenot, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, ed. a. vacant et al., 15v. (Paris 1903–50; Tables générales 1951–) 6.2:2324–25.

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