Glückseligkeitslehre

Johann Michael Sailer (1751-1832) studied philosophy and theology at the University of Ingolstadt and in 1780, having obtained his doctorate in theology, became second Professor of Dogmatics there alongside his teacher Benedikt Stattler. Only a year later he was removed from his post by the Bavarian authorities as an opponent of the Catholic Enlightenment. However, this opinion of him would soon change. From 1784 to 1794 and again after 1799 Sailer, working in the spirit of the Enlightenment, was Professor of Ethics and Pastoral Theology at the University of Dillingen. In 1821 he became a member of the Cathedral Chapter in Regensburg, becoming Vicar-General in 1822 and Bishop of Regensburg in 1829. His Doctrine of Blessedness demonstrates that, as Professor at Dillingen, Sailer had quickly mastered his new field of ethics and moral philosophy. He wanted the work to offer a moral philosophy which – in the spirit of Christian Wolff and the Enlightenment – had its foundations in reason rather than faith, but was nonetheless open to Christian faith. It is aimed not just at students but at all who are interested in such matters.