George Phillips (canon lawyer)
Encyclopedia
George Phillips was a German canon law
yer.
, and, under the influence of the latter, he devoted himself mainly to the study of Germanic law.
After obtaining the degree of Doctor of Law at Göttingen in 1824, he paid a long visit to England. In 1826 he qualified at Berlin
as Privatdozent
(tutor) for German law, and in 1827 was appointed professor extraordinary in this faculty. In the same year he married Charlotte Housselle, who belonged to a French Protestant family settled in Berlin. Phillips formed a close friendship with his colleague K. E. Jarcke, professor at Berlin since 1825, who had entered the Catholic Church in 1824. Jarcke's influence and his own studies on medieval Germany led to the conversion of Phillips and his wife in 1828 (14 May).
Jarcke having moved to Vienna in 1832, Phillips accepted in 1833 a call to Munich
as counsel in the Bavaria
n Ministry of the Interior. In 1834 he was named professor of history, and a few months later professor of law at the University of Munich. He now joined a Catholic circle including Joseph Görres, Johann Adam Möhler
, Ignaz von Döllinger, and Johann Nepomuk von Ringseis
. In 1838 he founded with Guido Görres
the militant "Historischpolitische Blätter".
In consequence of the Lola Montez
affair, in connexion with which Phillips signed, with six other Munich professors, an address of sympathy with the dismissed minister Abel, he was relieved of his chair in 1847. In 1848 he was elected deputy of a Münster
district for the National Assembly of Frankfort, at which he upheld Catholic interests. In 1850, after declining a call as professor to Würzburg
, he accepted the chair of German law at Innsbruck
. Invited to fill the same chair in Vienna in 1851, he moved to the Austrian capital, and remained there until his death.
In 1862-7 he accepted a long leave of absence to complete his Kirchenrecht. He always maintained his relations with his friends in Munich and other cities of Germany, and never relaxed as a Catholic activist
After his call to Munich, however, Phillips moved to a treatment of canon law from a strictly Catholic standpoint. In addition to numerous smaller treatises, he published in this domain:
Phillips also published a "Lehrbuch des Kirchenrechts" (Ratisbon, 1859–62; 3rd ed. by Moufang, 1881) and "Vermischte Schriften" (3 vols., Ratisbon, 1856–60).
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
yer.
Life
He was the son of James Phillips, an Englishman who had acquired wealth as a merchant in Königsberg, and of a Scotchwoman née Hay. On completing his course at the gymnasium, George studied law at the Universities of Berlin and Göttingen (1822–24); his principal teachers were von Savigny and Karl Friedrich EichhornKarl Friedrich Eichhorn
Karl Friedrich Eichhorn was a German jurist.Eichhorn was born in Jena as the son of Johann Gottfried Eichhorn. He entered the University of Göttingen in 1797. In 1805 he obtained the professorship of law at Frankfurt , holding it till 1811, when he accepted the same chair at the new Friedrich...
, and, under the influence of the latter, he devoted himself mainly to the study of Germanic law.
After obtaining the degree of Doctor of Law at Göttingen in 1824, he paid a long visit to England. In 1826 he qualified at Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
as Privatdozent
Privatdozent
Privatdozent or Private lecturer is a title conferred in some European university systems, especially in German-speaking countries, for someone who pursues an academic career and holds all formal qualifications to become a tenured university professor...
(tutor) for German law, and in 1827 was appointed professor extraordinary in this faculty. In the same year he married Charlotte Housselle, who belonged to a French Protestant family settled in Berlin. Phillips formed a close friendship with his colleague K. E. Jarcke, professor at Berlin since 1825, who had entered the Catholic Church in 1824. Jarcke's influence and his own studies on medieval Germany led to the conversion of Phillips and his wife in 1828 (14 May).
Jarcke having moved to Vienna in 1832, Phillips accepted in 1833 a call to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
as counsel in the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n Ministry of the Interior. In 1834 he was named professor of history, and a few months later professor of law at the University of Munich. He now joined a Catholic circle including Joseph Görres, Johann Adam Möhler
Johann Adam Möhler
Johann Adam Möhler was a German Roman Catholic theologian.He was born at Igersheim in Württemberg, and after studying philosophy and theology in the lyceum at Ellwangen, entered the University of Tübingen in 1817. Ordained to the priesthood in 1819, he was appointed to a curacy...
, Ignaz von Döllinger, and Johann Nepomuk von Ringseis
Johann Nepomuk von Ringseis
Johann Nepomuk von Ringseis was a German physician born in Schwarzhofen, Oberpfalz.He received his education at the University of Landshut, where he was a student of Andreas Röschlaub . Afterwards he furthered his studies in Vienna and Berlin , and in 1816 moved to Munich as a personal physician...
. In 1838 he founded with Guido Görres
Guido Görres
Guido Görres was a German Catholic historian, publicist and poet.-Life and works:Born in Koblenz, he was the son of Joseph Görres, and made his early classical studies in his native town. During his father's banishment he went to Aarau and Strasburg to pursue his education...
the militant "Historischpolitische Blätter".
In consequence of the Lola Montez
Lola Montez
Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld , better known by the stage name Lola Montez, was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a "Spanish dancer", courtesan and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who made her Countess of Landsfeld. She used her influence to institute liberal...
affair, in connexion with which Phillips signed, with six other Munich professors, an address of sympathy with the dismissed minister Abel, he was relieved of his chair in 1847. In 1848 he was elected deputy of a Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
district for the National Assembly of Frankfort, at which he upheld Catholic interests. In 1850, after declining a call as professor to Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, he accepted the chair of German law at Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
. Invited to fill the same chair in Vienna in 1851, he moved to the Austrian capital, and remained there until his death.
In 1862-7 he accepted a long leave of absence to complete his Kirchenrecht. He always maintained his relations with his friends in Munich and other cities of Germany, and never relaxed as a Catholic activist
Works
As a writer, his labours lay in the domain of German law, canon law, and their respective histories. At first his activity was directed mainly towards German law his principal contributions on the subject being:- "Versuch einer Darstellung des angelsächsischen Rechtes" (Göttingen, 1825);
- "Englische Reichs- und Rechtsgeschichte", of which two volumes (dealing with the period 1066-1189) appeared (Berlin, 1827-8);
- "Deutsche Geschichte mit besonderer Rücksicht auf Religion, Recht und Verfassung", of which two volumes alone were issued (Berlin, 1832-4), deals with Merovingian and Carolingian times;
- "Grundsätze des gemeinen deutschen Privatrechts mit Einschluss des Lehnrechts" (Berlin, 1838);
- "Deutsche Reichs- und Rechtsgeschichte" (Munich, 1845).
After his call to Munich, however, Phillips moved to a treatment of canon law from a strictly Catholic standpoint. In addition to numerous smaller treatises, he published in this domain:
- "Die Diözesansynode" (Freiburg, 1849);
- "Kirchenrecht", his major work, which appeared in seven volumes (Ratisbon, 1845–72), and was continued by Vering (vol. VIII, i, Ratisbon, 1889). This comprehensive work exercised influence on the study of canon law and its principles.
Phillips also published a "Lehrbuch des Kirchenrechts" (Ratisbon, 1859–62; 3rd ed. by Moufang, 1881) and "Vermischte Schriften" (3 vols., Ratisbon, 1856–60).