RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Corpus Doctriase Corrodi
Bibliography: J. A. Schmidt, De corporibus doctrince Philippico, etc., Helmstadt, 1706; C. A. Salig, Historie derAugsburger ' Confession, i. 702 sqq., Halle, 1730; E. Kollner, Symbolik der lutherischen Kirche, pp. 95 sqq., Hamburg, 1837' H. Heppe, Die konfessionelle Entwickelung der altprote'stantischen Kirche Deutschlands, pp. 179 sqq., Marburg, 1854; F. Loofs, Leitfaden der Dogmengeschichte, pp. 907 sqq., Halle, 1906; H. E. Jacobs, The Book of Concord, 2 vols., Philadelphia, 1893.
CORPUS EVANGELICORUM, e"van-jel"i'-corDm (also called Corpus Sociorum Augustance Confessionis): A body composed of delegates from the Evangelical states of the Holy Roman Empire and organized into what was practically an independent political assembly. Its origin is not to be sought in such temporary alliances among the German Protestants as the Leagues of Torgau and Schmalkald, nor in the repeated but always unsuccessful attempts of individual princes to unite the states with which they were in religious sympathy either by the formation of a permanent confederation or by a regular " correspondence." It grew out of the need felt by the Protestant states in the diet to treat and to protect their several interests as joint interests. The same need was felt on the other side, and so the two parties in the diet crystallized more and more into distinct corporations — the Corpus Evangelicorum and the Corpus Catholicorum (q.v.) —and came to treat with each other as such. The formal organization of the Corpus Evangelicorum as a permanent institution took place at the Diet of Regensburg, July 22, 1653, when the representatives of all the Protestant states (then thirtynine) met for deliberation as to their action in the house of the delegate from electoral Saxony, and agreed to act permanently as a body under the leadership of that state. Though regarded with disfavor by the imperial court, it maintained its existence, took cognizance of everything which affected Evangelical interests, and corresponded quite independently with the emperor, with the several states, and with foreign sovereigns. When the Elector Frederick Augustus of Saxony became a Roman Catholic in 1677, followed later by his heir apparent, the question was hotly debated whether Saxony could still be allowed to retain the presidency. Brandenburg, Brunswick, and the Ernestine line of Saxony were anxious to take the place; but the elector gave all assurances, and the fear that his influential house might go over to the Corpus Catholicorum determined the delegates to leave the presidency where it had always been, express stipulations being made that the elector should not interfere with his representative, who was to receive directions from the privy council at Dresden. The regular meetings of the Corpus were held at Regensburg every fortnight. After 1770 there were two standing committees, one for the mvestigation of religious complaints as to which its action was requested, and one charged with the administration of the six funds belonging to it. The Corpus Evangelicorum existed on this basis until 1806, when it perished with the empire; but suggestions as to the usefulness of its reorganization have been since made more than once. (E. Friedberg.)
CORPUS JURIS CANONICI. See Canon Law,
CORRECTION, HOUSES OF : Among the penalties employed by the Church, especially against delinquent clerics, was in very early times the confinement of the offender, for his own amendment, or, if he proved incorrigible, for the removal of a scandal from the eyes of the community. Special places for such imprisonment (decanica) are mentioned in a decree of Arcadius and Honorius in 369; other terms used for them are decaneata, diaconica, secretaria. Numerous synods of tho sixth and seventh centuries prescribed imprisonment for delinquent and especially for deposed clerics. Monasteries and (after their erection became general) seminaries were frequently used for this purpose. The present Roman Catholic Church has institutions of this nature in some places.
(O. MEJEHf.)
CORRIGAN, MICHAEL AUGUSTINE: Third Roman Catholic archbishop of New York; b. at Newark, N. J., Aug. 13, 1839; d. in New York May 5, 1902. He studied at St. Mary's College, Wilmington, Del., and at Mount St. Mary's College, Emmittsburg, Md. (B.A., 1859); was the first student from the United States to seek admission to the American College at Rome (opened 1859), and continued his studies there for four years, receiving the degree of D.D. on examination in 1864; was ordained at Rome subdeacon Mar., deacon Aug., priest Sept., 1863. He became professor of dogmatic theology and Sacred Scripture at Seton Hall Seminary, South Orange, N. J., 1864, vicepresident of Seton Hall College 1865, president 1868 (resigned 1876). In Oct., 1868, he was appointed vicar-general of the diocese of Newark, bishop of Newark 1873, coadjutor to Cardinal McCloskey, archbishop of New York, with the title archbishop of Petra, 1880, and succeeded to the archbishopric 1885. He was a faithful and efficient administrator, possessed of much capacity for system and details, while his uniform courtesy and the nobility of his aims won the respect of the community. From his coming to New York in 1880 to the end of 1895, when his labor was lightened by the appointment of an auxiliary, he confirmed 194,678 persons.
Bibliography: Michael A. Corrigan, Memorial Volume, New York, 1902.
CORRODI, HEINRICH: Rationalistic writer; b. at Zurich July 31, 1752; d. there Sept. 14, 1793. His father, a clergyman and Pietist, lived in Zurich as private tutor, and the son was brought up in Pietistic narrowness. He studied at Halle, where the influence of Semler had a decisive effect on his mind, and he followed this liberal theologian entirely. In 1781 he published anonymously an important work, Kritische Geschichte des Chiliasmus (2 parts, Leipsic; 2d ed., 4 vols., 1794), which has preserved his memory, being written upon the fundamental assumption of the " Enlightenment " (q.v.) that the history of dogmas is a history of human errors, and applying this assumption rigorously to each doctrine. The author discovers the essence of Christianity in the field of ethics and considers the Epistle of James as its purest expression; the writings of the apostles, he thinks, are full of Judais-
Corvey
Cosmas IndicopleusteB