Febronianism

Meaning

Noun

• A powerful movement within the Roman Catholic Church in Germany in the latter part of the 18th century, directed towards the nationalizing of Catholicism, the restriction of the power of the papacy in favour of that of the episcopate, and the reunion of the dissident churches with Catholic Christendom.

Origin

• Derived from the pseudonym Justinus Febronius adopted by Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim, coadjutor bishop of Trier, in publishing his book De statu ecclesiae et legitima potestae Romani pontificis; -ism.