Peter Abelard

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    Abstract

    Peter Abelard (1079'1142) introduces a new perspective into the philosophy of religion in the Latin West through his emphasis on the common source of pagan and religious philosophical insight. Although not the first person to argue that pagan philosophers shared some understanding of truths manifest through divine revelation to Jews and then to Christians, Abelard was one of the first teachers to create a coherent synthesis of theologia in which this insight was the driving principle. Boethius (c.476'c.525) had pursued philosophical enquiry into orthodox Christian doctrines relating to the Trinity, but never reflected explicitly on the relationship of pagan philosophy to Christian revelation. Rather than commenting on the Opuscula sacra (Sacred works) of Boethius, Abelard decided to create his own independent synthesis on the subject, a treatise about the Trinity, now known as the Theologia 'summi boni' (hereafter TSum). After the work was condemned as heretical at the Council of Soissons in 1121, he revised it in the early 1120s as his Theologia Christiana (Christian theology; hereafter TChr), transforming it yet again into his Theologia (the Theologia 'scholarium'; hereafter TSch) by the early 1130s. This final version was identified by the famous Cistercian abbot, Bernard of Clairvaux, at the Council of Sens, held on 25 May 1141, as containing many heresies (Mews 2002).

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationMedieval Philosophy of Religion:
    Subtitle of host publicationThe History of Western Philosophy of Religion
    EditorsGraham Oppy, N. N. Trakakis
    PublisherAcumen Publishing
    Pages97-108
    Number of pages12
    Volume2
    ISBN (Print)9781844656820
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2009

    Publication series

    NameThe History of Western Philosophy of Religion
    PublisherAcumen Publishing
    Volume2

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