The Jesuits and Italian universities. 1548-1773 / Paul F. Grendler.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- The first Jesuits as university students at Paris and Padua -- The battle of Messina and the Jesuit Constitutions -- Messina and Catania 1563 to 1678 -- The attempt to enter the University of Turin -- The Padua disaster -- The Civic-Jesuit University of Parma -- The Civic-Jesuit University of Mantua -- Two new universities in the marches: Fermo and Macerata -- The bishop says no: Palermo and Chambéry -- The Jesuits and the University of Bologna -- The battle over Canon Law in Rome -- The Jesuits and the University of Perugia -- Jesuit mathematicians in the Universities of Ferrara, Pavia, and Siena -- Philosophical and pedagogical differences -- The Jesuit contribution to theological education -- Conclusion.

"The Society of Jesus arrived in Italy in 1540 brimming with enthusiasm to found new universities. These would be better than Italian universities, which the Jesuits believed were full of professors teaching philosophical atheism to debauched students. The Jesuits also wanted to become professors in existing Italian universities. They would teach Christian philosophy, true theology, sound logic, eloquent humanities, and practical mathematics. They would exert a positive moral influence on students. The Jesuits were rejected. Italy already had fourteen universities famous for their research and teaching. They were ruled by princes and cities who refused to share their universities with a religious order led by Spaniards. Between 1548 and 1773 the Jesuits made sixteen attempts, from Turin in the north to Messina in Sicily, to found new universities or to become professors in existing universities. They had some successes, as they helped found four new universities and became professors of mathematics in three more universities. But they suffered nine total failures. The battles between universities, civil governments, and the Jesuits were memorable. Lay professors accused the Jesuits of teaching philosophy badly. The Jesuits charged that Italian professors delivered few lectures and skipped most of Aristotle. Behind the denunciations were profound differences about what universities should be. Italian universities were dominated by law and the Jesuits emphasized the humanities and theology. Nevertheless, the Society of Jesus had an impact. They added cases of conscience to the training of clergymen. They made four years of study the norm for a degree in theology. They off­ered a student-centered alternative to Italian universities that focused on research and ignored student misbehavior. Paul Grendler tells a new story based on years of research in a dozen archives"--Publisher's description.

Online resource; title from electronic title page (EbscoHost, viewed January 10, 2019).

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