BONNETTY, AUGUSTIN. - French philosopher and historian, born at Entrevaux on 9 Apr. 1798, died at Paris on 29 March 1879. In 1830 he founded the Annales de philosophie chrétienne, which, together with the Université catholique (whose direction he assumed in 1840 and which he subsequently merged with the Annales in 1855), provided the arena in which, until his death, he made the most substantial contributions of his scholarly activity. B.’s doctrinal position is closely connected with the French fideist and traditionalist movement, the only one by which he believed it possible to triumph over rationalism, especially that of Cousin, then predominant. His system, however, is not as extreme as those of De Bonald and Bautain. B. does not intend to discuss what are theoretically the natural limits of human reason and its possibilities. Indeed, he considers it idle for a Christian to pose the question in these terms, since, he says, man was not left to himself and, from creation onwards, through language, was instructed by God in necessary truths, particularly those of a moral and religious order. Nevertheless, B., going beyond the historical aspect that he had himself set forth, seems to assert something more: namely, that even if after Revelation man is capable of demonstrating the rationality of many revealed religious and moral doctrines, he is nevertheless absolutely incapable of discovering them without the aid of Revelation. In support of his thesis, B. appeals to the unity of the human race and to the common origin of the various languages.
From this depreciation of philosophical speculation it was easy to slide towards an attitude not merely negative but also condemnatory with regard to Scholasticism, which in its greatest representatives exalts the demonstrative power of the human intellect. The S. Congregation of the Index, by its decree of 11 June 1855, therefore asked B. to subscribe to four propositions that summarize and define the doctrine of the Church in this matter (cf. Denz-U, nn. 1649-1652).
In the first, against the uniqueness of the principle of knowledge (divine Revelation transmitted to us by oral tradition) admitted by B. for the truths of natural religion, is affirmed the power of reason, which can likewise lead us to truth, since, like faith, it proceeds from a single author, God. The second proposition is essentially a specification of the preceding one, asserting that reason can demonstrate with certainty the existence of God, the spirituality of the soul, and human freedom. The third proclaims, against B.’s doctrine, the priority of rational knowledge to faith: « rationis usus fidem praecedit et ad eam hominem ope revelationis et gratiae conductit ». The fourth defends, against B.’s accusations, the scholastic method, especially that of s. Tommaso and s. Bonaventura, declaring that it does not favour rationalism and that it cannot be blamed if modern philosophy has strayed into naturalism and pantheism.
B. submitted and subscribed to the propositions presented to him.
Besides the philosophical aspect, it is important to emphasize B.’s historical contributions in his scholarly activity. In addition to the numerous articles published in the Annales, we recall: Morceaux choisis de l'histoire de l'Eglise (2 vols., Paris 1828; 2nd ed. under the title Beautes de l'hist. de l'Eglise, ibid. 1841); Table alphabétique de tous les auteurs sacrés et profanes qui ont été découverts et édités par le Card. Mai (ibid. 1850); Documents historiques sur la religion des Romains (4 vols., ibid. 1867-87); La reine Blanche, et Louis et le comte de Chambord (ibid. 1878), etc.