Editing Febronianism (section)

== Origin of name ==
The name is derived from the [[pseudonym]] ''Justinus Febronius'' adopted by [[Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim]], [[coadjutor bishop]] of [[Archdiocese of Trier|Trier]], in publishing his book ''{{lang|la|De statu ecclesiae et legitima potestae Romani pontificis}}''.{{efn|{{cite book|location=Bullioni|publisher=Evrardus|author=Justinus Febronius (pseud.) [Hontheim, Johann Nikolaus von]|author-link=Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim|title=De statu Ecclesiae et legitima potestate Romani Pontificis liber singularis; ad reuniendos dissidentes in religione christianos compositus|language=la|year=1766|orig-year=First published 1763|oclc=15742817|url=https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb10507279?page=8|access-date=23 April 2013}} Cited in {{harvnb|Phillips|1911}}. Phillips notes that second and enlarged edition has new prefaces addressed to Pope Clement XIII, to Christian kings and princes, to the bishops of the Catholic Church, and to doctors of theology and canon law; three additional volumes, published in 1770, 1772 and 1774 in Frankfort, are devoted to vindications of the original work against the critics.<ref name="Phillips1911" />}} Using Gallican principles imbibed from the canonist [[Zeger Bernhard van Espen]] at the [[Old University of Leuven|University of Louvain]], Hontheim moved to a radicalism far outstripping traditional Gallicanism. His theory of [[Hierarchy of the Catholic Church|ecclesiastical organisation]] aimed to negate within the Catholic Church the unique authority vested in the bishop of [[Diocese of Rome|Rome's]] [[Roman Curia|administration]].<ref name="Lauchert1909" /> In 1738 Hontheim went to [[Koblenz]], as an official to the [[Archdiocese of Trier|Archbishop]]-[[Electorate of Trier|Elector of Trier]]. Archbishops of Trier were simultaneously [[prince]]s and [[prince-elector]]s of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. According to [[Walter Alison Phillips]], writing in the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'', he thereby had ample opportunity to observe how the internal affairs of the Holy Roman Empire were subject to the [[Roman Curia|Roman Curia's]] meddling. This, most notably, was in negotiations preceding the elections, at which Hontheim assisted, of [[Holy Roman Emperor]]s [[Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles VII]] and [[Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor|Francis I]]. On these two occasions, it appears, what had prompted his critically reviewing papal pretensions was the Papal [[Nuncio]]; his extreme claims and interference in matters before the Holy Roman Empire's [[electoral college]]. Hontheim published the results under his pseudonym.<ref name="EB1911Hon">{{EB1911|inline=y|volume=13|page=663|wstitle=Hontheim, Johann Nikolaus von|ref=none}}</ref> The book aroused considerable excitement and controversy at the time.<ref name="Phillips1911" />