Nicholas-Joseph Laforêt
Encyclopedia
Nicholas-Joseph Laforêt was a Belgian Catholic philosopher and theologian,.
, he entered the Catholic University of Leuven
(French: Louvain), where he applied himself especially to the study of Oriental languages, Holy Scripture, and philosophy. In 1848, he was appointed to the chair of moral philosophy at the university, and, the same year, received the doctorate in theology.
Two years later he became president of the Collège du Pape. Upon the death of Pierre François Xavier de Ram
, the bishops of Belgium chose Laforêt to succeed him in the rectorship of the university. One of his main undertakings was the foundation and organization of the schools of civil engineering, industry, and mines. He also established a new literary and pedagogical school, the Justus Lipsius Institute. Laforêt was a prothonotary Apostolic ad instar participantium, an honorary canon of the cathedral of Namur, an officer of the Order of Leopold (Belgium), a commander of the Order of Christ
, a member of the Royal Academy of Belgium, and of the Roman Academy of the Catholic Religion.
Category;Belgian theologians
Life
After the regular theological course at the seminary of NamurNamur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
, he entered the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
(French: Louvain), where he applied himself especially to the study of Oriental languages, Holy Scripture, and philosophy. In 1848, he was appointed to the chair of moral philosophy at the university, and, the same year, received the doctorate in theology.
Two years later he became president of the Collège du Pape. Upon the death of Pierre François Xavier de Ram
Pierre François Xavier de Ram
Pierre François Xavier de Ram , was a Belgian churchman, and historian, best known for being the first rector of the new Catholic University of Mechlin and then of the new Catholic University of Leuven .-Biography:De Ram entered the seminary at Mechelen, where he was ordained in 1827...
, the bishops of Belgium chose Laforêt to succeed him in the rectorship of the university. One of his main undertakings was the foundation and organization of the schools of civil engineering, industry, and mines. He also established a new literary and pedagogical school, the Justus Lipsius Institute. Laforêt was a prothonotary Apostolic ad instar participantium, an honorary canon of the cathedral of Namur, an officer of the Order of Leopold (Belgium), a commander of the Order of Christ
Order of Christ
Order of Christ may refer to:* Order of Christ – former Knights Templar Order awarded initially by the kings of Portugal, now by the Portuguese state...
, a member of the Royal Academy of Belgium, and of the Roman Academy of the Catholic Religion.
Works
Besides a great number of articles, especially in the "Revue catholique", Laforêt's main works are:- "Dissertatio historico-dogmatica de methodo theologiae, sive de auctoritate Ecclesiae catholicae tanquam regula fidei christianae "(Louvain, 1849);
- "Etudes sur la civilisation européenne considerée dans ses rapports avec le christianisme" (Brussels, 1850);
- "La vie et les travaux d'Arnold Tits" (Brussels, 1853);
- "Principes philosophiques de la morale" (Louvain, 1852; 2nd ed., under the title "Philosophie morale", Louvain, 1855);
- "Les dogmes catholiques exposés, prouvés et vengés des attaques de l'hérésie et de l'incrédulité" (Brussels, 1855-59);
- "Pourquoi l'on ne croit pas" (Louvain, 1864; Eng. tr. "Why men do not believe", London, s. d., and new ed., New York, 1909; Germ. tr. by Vosen, "Der moderne Unglaube und seine Hauptursachen", Mainz, 1873);
- "Histoire de la philosophie" (Brussels, 1866-67), which includes only the history of ancient philosophy, the author dying before he completed the work
- "Les martyrs de Gorcum" (Louvain, 1867; Germ. tr. Münster, 1867);
- "Le syllabus et les plaies de la société moderne", a posthumous work, including the author's testament (Louvain, 1872).
External links
Category;Belgian theologians