Eräs professorinimitys Turun akatemiassa 1730-luvulla: tieteellisten intressien ja hiippakunnan törmäys? (Finnish)

In 1736 Assistant of Theology Johan Wallenius was appointed to the professorship of logic and metaphysics at the Royal Academy of Turku. However, the prolonged appointment process led to dispute in the consistorium, the collegial body formed of the professors and the bishop of Turku which had the right to nominate three applicants, in particular order, to the King who then made the final appointment. Two professors from the faculty of philosophy strongly preferred Johan Welin, Assistant of Philosophy, who in their opinion possessed more knowledge and skills regarding the professorship. The rule was that the consistorium ought to prefer the most "skilled" of the applicants. In this article I analyze the progress of this appointment process and its background. All of the professors were probably aware that Welin was scientifically more qualified than Wallenius, but there were other reasons speaking in favour of Wallenius. Wallenius was the assistant of theology and a priest. Ever since the 17th century, theology had had hierarchical supremacy at the Academy. Traditionally, all professors of theology and many of those from the faculty of philosophy were also vicars, and therefore the bishoprics interests influenced appointments at the Academy. Moreover, professors from the faculty of philosophy received preference for theological professorships when those became available. Johan Welin's main disadvantage was that he was not theologically orientated, whereas Wallenius was a more integral part of the academic community and the bishopric. Wallenius was also said to have economical difficulties. In addition, there might have been some reasons related to science politics that did not support Welin's nomination. At his assistant position in Turku, Welin was pioneered the teaching of Christian Wolff's philosophy. At that time some professors might have felt that a novelty like Wolffianism was a threat to the old theological orthodoxy and their own authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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