RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Castor Caswall
merely of Sylvester Prierias, which dates from the beginning of the Reformation period.
As the Reformers revived the Pauline idea of a free motive power in faith, casuistry proper was fundamentally set aside, and they even occasionally declared themselves expressly opposed to it (Calvin, " Institutes," IV. x. 1 sqq.; Luther, Resol. i. concl. Ecc, ii.). Existing conditions nevertheless gave rise to a certain evangelical counterpart to the Roman Catholic casuistry. The Reformatory movement introduced a multitude of new problems in morality. So in difficult contingencies people frequently appealed for enlightenment to the Reformers and other persons of esteem, or in turn to the theological faculties. In this way the collected letters of Luther and Calvin,
Casuistry as well as Melanchthon's counsels in Protes- (Berathschlagungen, etc., issued by
tantism. Petzel, 1601), have furnished copious illustrations at large in the matter of evangelical resolutions of conscience. The systematic collections of faculty decisions (Thesaurus consiliorum, etc., by Dedekenn; Gerhard's In richtigerer Ordnung, 1676) even early denote the transition to a distinctive evangelical casuistry. The more legalizing spirit of the post-Reformation era became thus practically effective. Even here, however, the various particular moral transactions were not viewed, in their development, as in the Roman Catholic casuistry, but as fruits of faith, of knowledge in part, and of the life according to the spirit of Christ. The Reformed theology took precedence in the elaboration of casuistry. The first treatise of this kind is that of the Cambridge professor William Perkins (d. 1602; see Perkins, William), A Case of Conscience (originally in English; Latin by Meyer, 1603), of a strict Puritan tone. A similar book of kindred thought was written by his pupil the Scotchman William Ames (De conscientia, Amsterdam, 1630). Somewhat prior to this, the German theologian Alstedt had published a work on casuistry (Theologia casuum, Hanover, 1621). But although he represented casuistry as a singularly important science, there were in the Reformed Church only a few English theologians that still espoused casuistry. The first Lutheran work on casuistry grew out of lectures delivered by Professor Baldwin at Wittenberg in opposition to the Roman Catholic casuistry, and with the design of systematically setting forth the import of the faculty's opinions. His manuscript was published after his death by the Wittenberg Theological Faculty (Tractatus de casibus conscientia, Frankfort, 1659). Of the remaining Lutheran writings of this nature, there should still be noted the works of Dannhauer (1679), Bechmann (1692), and Johannes Olearius (1699). Pietism, although Spener's views on moral questions (Theologische Bedenken, 1700; Letzte theologische Bedenken, 1711) have a casuistical tone, still contributed not a little to the shelving of casuistry, in that it deepened the understanding with reference to the interdependency of the Christian's total transactions with his religious-moral basic intuitions. After Buddeus in his moral theology had shown casuistry to be superfluous, only isolated
works on the subject appeared in the Lutheran Church.
In the Roman Catholic Church, on the contrary, the ethics of the Jesuits came to be out and out casuistical. And even apart from them, in that quarter, casuistry was cultivated (cf . P. Lambertini, Casus conscientia, Augsburg, 1763; S. Sobiech, Compendium theologies moralis, Breslau, 1822).
F. Sieffert.
Bibliography: F. D. Maurice, The Conscience: Lectures on Casuistry, London, 1872; K. F. Staudlin, Geschichte der christlichen Moral, Gottingen, 1808; W. M. L. de Wette, Christliche Sittenlehre, vol. ii., part 2, Berlin, 1821; S. Pike and S. Hayward, Religious Cases of Conscience, new ed., Philadelphia, 1859; C. Beard, Port Royal, pp. 262-291, London, 1861; J. Cook, The Conscience, Boston, 1879; W. Gass, Geschichte der christlichen Ethik, i., ii., parts 1-2, Berlin, 1881-87; W. T. Davison, The Christian Conscience, a Contribution to Ethics, London, 1888; C. E. Luthardt, Geschichte der christlichen Ethik, 2 vols., Leipsic, 1888-93. Many of the treatises on ethics deal with the subject of casuistry.
CASUS RESERVATI ("Reserved Cases"): In the Roman Catholic Church, cases in which absolution can be given only by a priest specially authorized. The practise of such reservation is defended on the ground that Christ granted the power of absolution only to the apostles and their successors (John xx. 21-23), and that the pope and bishops have thus the right to reserve to themselves as much of this power as in their judgment the good of the Church requires. This view is formally sanctioned by the Council of Trent (Sess. XIV., cap. vii., de paenitentia, 11). The cases in question are " certain graver cases of offense," " certain more atrocious and graver offenses " — grave external sins, definitely completed and specifically determined by the legislator, i.e., by the pope or bishop. The details were gradually fixed in practise. Ordinarily speaking, the popes reserved to themselves only sins for which excommunication was the penalty, from which only the apostolic see could release the culprit, though there are some to which this did not apply. The principal instances are those named in the bull In cana Domini (q.v.). Where, in these cases, the sin is not matter of public knowledge, the bishops are allowed to absolve (in person or by deputy) in foro conscientia ; and other cases reserved to the pope are placed in their jurisdiction by their quinquennial faculties (see Faculties). The constitution Apostolica sedis of Pius IX. (1869) gives precise details on the different classes of reserved cases at the present day. The cases reserved to the bishops vary according to the locality; in general, they include a number of the graver sins, certain forms of unchastity, homicide, breach of the seal of confession by priests, etc. Bishops commonly depute their powers over a number of these cases to subordinates, either permanently or for special seasons. In all kinds of reserved cases, however, a penitent may be absolved by any priest in case of urgent necessity, such as approaching death. (E. Friedberg.)
Bibliography: M. Hausmann, Geschichte der piipstlichen
ReservatfaUe, New York, 1868; H. C. Lea, History of
Auricular Confession and Indulgences in the Latin Church,
i. 312 sqq., Philadelphia, 1896.
CASWALL, EDWARD: Hymn-writer; b. at Yateley (35 m. w.s.w. of London), Hampshire, July
Catacombs Catechesis