On the Spirit and Essence of Catholicism

Johann Sebastian Drey (1777-1853) was a German Catholic professor of theology at the University of Tuebingen and one of two founders of the Catholic Tuebingen School. He is renowned for his writings and teachings in fundamental theology and theological apologetics. Grant Kaplan is a professor of systematic and historical theology at Saint Louis University. He is the author, most recently, of Faith and Reason through Christian History. Jordan Daniel Wood is assistant professor of theology at Belmont University. He is the author of The Whole Mystery of Christ.

Editorial Introduction 1. The Relationship of Catholicism to Original Christianity 2. The Relationship of Catholicism to the Fundamental Principles of Original Christianity 3. The Relationship of Catholicism to Christian Religiosity and Christian Worship of God 4. The Relationship of Catholicism to Christian Ecclesiality [Kirchentum] Glossary of Key Terms Endnotes

"This translation of Johann Sebastian Drey's On the Spirit and Essence of Catholicism marks an important, and in many ways long overdue, contribution to the study of modern theology and modern Catholic thought. Drey's text has played a foundational, if often under-recognized, role in the development of modern Catholic ecclesiology and pneumatology, making it a crucial resource for understanding the background and reception of the Second Vatican Council." -Kevin M. Vander Schel, author of Embedded Grace "Drey stands as a major figure in modern Catholic theology-often regarded as a precursor of twentieth-century nouvelle theologie and of the intellectual currents that culminated in Vatican II. Due to this, this book will be of great relevance not only to students of Catholic theology but also to scholars of modern theology more broadly, church history, and nineteenth- and twentieth-century intellectual and religious history." -Thomas Albert Howard, author of Broken Altars