Augustine Reding was a Swiss Benedictine

Benedictine

Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...

, the Prince-Abbot of Einsiedeln, and theological writer.

Life

After completing the classics at the Benedictine College of Einsiedeln he there joined the Order of St. Benedict, 26 December 1641, taught philosophy at the early age of twenty-four. He was ordained priest and appointed master of novices in 1649, obtained the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy and Theology at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau in 1654, was professor of theology at the Benedictine University of Salzburg from 1648 to 1654. He became dean (prior) at Einsiedeln in 1658, and was finally elected Prince-Abbot of Einsiedeln on 17 July 1670.

At Einsiedeln he built the still existing choir, the confession-church, and St. Magdalene's chapel (1674–84). In 1675 his monastery took charge of the college at Bellinzona

Bellinzona

Bellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....

, which was conducted by the monks of Einsiedeln until its suppression in 1852. He watched carefully over discipline, and insisted on a thorough intellectual training of his monks. During his time the conventuals of Einsiedeln increased from 53 to 100, many of whom gained renown as professors at various institutions of learning.

Works

His numerous theological writings are learned, but his style is dry and at times obscure. His chief work is Theologia scholastica universa (13 vols., Einsiedeln, 1687), based on the Summa of Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...

.

Other works are:

• Veritas inextincta concilii Tridentini (5 vols., ib., 1677–84), a defence of the Council of Trent
  Council of Trent
  The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
  
   against Johann Heinrich Heidegger
  Johann Heinrich Heidegger
  Johann Heinrich Heidegger , Swiss theologian, was born at Bäretswil, in the Canton of Zürich.He studied at Marburg and at Heidelberg, where he became the friend of Johann Friedrich Fabriciuss, and was appointed professor extraordinarius of Hebrew and later of philosophy...
  
  ;
• Vindex veritatis centuriæ primæ annalium ecclesiasticorum Baronii (ib., 1680), a justification of the first century of the Annales of Baronius;
• Œcumenicæ cathedræ apostolicæ authoritas (ib., 1669), a defence of papal supremacy
  Papal supremacy
  Papal supremacy refers to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church that the pope, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ and as pastor of the entire Christian Church, has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered: that, in brief,...
  
   against the Gallican Liberties; and some works of less importance.