HOUTIN, ALBERT

HOUTIN, ALBERT. — Modernist, b. 4 Oct. 1867 at La Flèche (Sarthe), d. 30 July 1926 at Paris. Ordained priest in 1891, he taught at the Seminary of Angers. He published *La controverse de l'apostolicité des Églises de France au XIXe siècle* (Paris 1900), in which he denied the reliability of tradition regarding the origins of the diocese of Angers; he was reprimanded by his own bishop. Having moved the following year to Paris, he preached at Saint-Sulpice, but was obliged to leave that office after the publication of *La question biblique chez les catholiques de France au XIXe siècle* (Paris 1902), which attracted wide attention and paved the way for the more audacious manifestations of Modernism; it was placed on the Index on 4 Dec. 1903 together with *Mes difficultés avec mon évêque*. Equally condemned were *L’Américanisme* (Paris 1903): decree 3 June 1904; *La question biblique au XIXe siècle* (ibid. 1905): decree 11 Dec. 1906; *La crise du clergé* (ibid. 1907): decree 20 July 1907; works rich in information on the Modernist movement of which H. was a zealous publicist. In 1912 he laid aside the priestly habit and published *Histoire du modernisme catholique* (ibid. 1913). *Une courte histoire du célibat ecclésiastique*, completed by Turmel, appeared in Paris in 1929. Of an autobiographical character are: *Ma vie laïque* and *Une vie de prêtre* (Paris 1926).