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Definition:
The word ultramontanism comes from the Latin ultra montes and literally
means "beyond the mountains." It is applied to the centralized authority of the
Roman Catholic Church, lead by the pope, because for most Europeans the pope was
located "beyond the mountains."
Today, ultramontanism is usually used in a negative sense and refers to the extreme over-centralization which many Catholics perceive as being harmful to Catholicism.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism?What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear. Read more about how dictionaries, scholars and others have tried to define and explain religion.
Further Reading:
Papal Sin: The Structures of Deceit
There was a time when Catholics knew that their popes were human and very capable of sinning - even egregiously. But Catholics also had faith in the institution of their Church to eventually overcome the problems of any one person. Today, however, a cult of personality has developed around the current pope, and the independent authority of institutions has eroded. Even worse, past errors are being covered up (or worse yet, perpetuated) in order to protect the image of the Church as never doing serious wrong. Garry Wills exposes all of this, bringing it to the harsh light of day. Read Review...Constantine's Sword
That Christianity has a legacy of antisemitism is undeniable. That Christianity, and in particular the Catholic Church, has a legacy of suppression of dissent and unorthodox ideas is also undeniable. What is interesting, however, are the ways in which both of these legacies are not only related, but are in fact dependent upon each other. By ranging over the entire history of Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church, James Carroll describes how the Church has worked to preserve power both through the suppression of internal (unorthodox) dissent and external (Jewish) dissent. Read Review...
