HURTER, HUGO ADALBERT. - Jesuit, theologian, and historian of theology, b. at Sciaffusa on 11 Jan. 1832, d. at Innsbruck on 10 Dec. 1914. A Protestant, he followed his father Federico in conversion (Rome, 1845); ordained priest in 1855 and became a Jesuit in 1857, he was professor of dogmatic theology at Innsbruck from 1858 to 1912. During the period 1887–90 he was also rector of the “Canisianum.”
His principal works, which rank him among the most important theologians of his time, are: Theologiae dogmaticae compendium (3 vols., Innsbruck, 1876–78; 12th ed. there, 1909), a solid, clear, orderly work, among the most widely disseminated; subsequently abridged as Medulla theologiae dogmaticae (there, 1879); and above all the Nomenclator litterarius theologiae catholicae, first in 3 vols. (there, 1871–1886), beginning with the post-Tridentine period; then in a 2nd ed. of 4 vols. (there, 1891–92), going back as far as 1109; and finally in a 3rd ed. of 5 vols. (there, 1903–13), going back to the first patristic age. The work has hitherto remained irreplaceable and examines a very large number of authors, dividing them according to historical periods, nation, and subject matter, with abundant bibliographical notes and citations. He also edited SS. Patrum opuscula selecta (54 vols., there, 1868–92), enriching it with useful notes and dissertations.