Mariano, Raffaele

MARIANO, RAFFAELE. - Writer of philosophy and history of religions, b. at Capua on 5 Sept. 1840, d. at Florence on 1 Dec. 1912. He taught (1885-1904) Church history at the University of Naples.

A restless and eclectic spirit, improperly considered a Hegelian. His is, at bottom, a mystical Platonism, influenced by Hegel. In fact he admits the immobility and objectivity of the idea and the transcendence of God; he rejects historicism. Despite his hesitations between Catholicism and Protestantism and certain heterodox statements in his work as a historian, M. defended the truth and the perenniality of Christianity and its positive value for a true national renewal (Il Risorgimento italiano etc., Florence 1866, p. 72).

Principal works: Lassalle e il suo Eraclito, saggio di filosofia hegeliana (Florence 1865); Il Risorgimento italiano secondo i principi della filosofia della storia (ibid. 1866); Roma nel medioevo (Rome 1873); Cristianesimo, cattolicesimo e civiltà (Milan 1879); Ritorno a Kant e ai neo-kantiani (Naples 1887); Buddismo e cristianesimo (2nd ed., Rome 1896); Giudaismo, paganesimo e Impero romano (Florence 1901); La conversione del mondo pagano al cristianesimo (ibid. 1902); Il cristianesimo nei primi secoli (2 vols., ibid. 1902); Scritti vari (essays and articles; 11 vols., ibid. 1900 ff.). Vol. X contains the philosophical writings on Hegelianism. The work Gli evangeli sinottici: realtà o invenzione? (Naples 1893) is on the Index (decree of 14 July 1893) because, although it opposes Harnack and rationalist criticism, it is nevertheless excessively yielding and further claims to find in them contradictions and absurdities, which it then turns against the Church, whose foundation by Jesus Christ it denies.