Abelard – RCS

Vladimir Vladimirovich Andersen, PhD-student, Faculty of Philology Saint-Petersburg State University (Universitetskaya nabereghnaya, dom 11, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199034)
vlad.andersen@gmail.com

Andersen V. V. The Metamorphosis Golye and the conflict of the Church and the school after the condemnation of Alenard’s theaching in Sens (1141), Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2013, vol. 2, pp. 263–272.

DOI: 10.24411/2308-0698-2013-00011

Language: Russian

Metamorphosis Golye, a short Latin poem using a fantasy setting to enumerate a list of the school masters teaching in Paris in 1130-1140-s, is traditionally considered to be the first literary mention of the Abelard and Heloise romance. The ‘Palatinus’ searched for by the end of the poem seems to be indeed referring to Abelard (he’s mentioned explicitly earlier in the list of the school masters): Palatinus is referring to ‘Palatium’, modern Le Pallet, the birth place of Abelard; John of Salisbury knows his nickname as Peripateticus Palatinus Abaelardus noster. Researchers like G. Misch interpreted the bride (‘nupta’) seeking for the Palatinus as a reference to Heloise and her Sehnsucht towards Abelard. However, J.F. Benton (1975) convincingly argued that the ‘bride’ seeking for Abelard near the end of the poem cannot be identified with Heloise. Instead, it’s the same ‘nupta’ from the beginning of the poem, which can only mean Dame Philology (a character taken from Martianus Capella). It is argued that the poem should be dated as late 1142: it cannot be reasonably dated at 1165, as J. Ward argues based on his reconstruction of the time master Meinerius was teaching in Paris, instead, its vivid evocation of the details of Abelard’s fate at the Council of Sens (May 1141) suggests an earlier date; since Gilbert de la Porrée was only consecrated at Bishop of Poitiers in July 1142, and a ‘presul Pictaviensis’, most likely Gilbert, appears in the poem as well, late 1142 seems the most likely date, which would make the Metamorphosis the earliest poem ascribed (probably much later) to the fictional Bishop Golias

Key words: Abelard, Eloise, the Council of Sens

Permanent link: http://rcs-almanac.ru/andersen-2013-en/

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Vladimir Vladimirovich Andersen, PhD-student, Faculty of Philology Saint-Petersburg State University (Universitetskaya nabereghnaya, dom 11, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199034).
vlad.andersen@gmail.com

Andersen V. V. Abelard, Bernard of Clairvaux and the Council of Sens of 1141, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 133–150.

DOI: 10.24411/2308-0698-2012-00009

Language: Russian

The reasons for the conflict of Bernard and Abelard have not been found yet. They communicated in a rather moderate way until a certain moment. In 1130s, Abelard turned back to his lectures at the university in Paris. Arnold of Brescia came there soon, he was expelled from Italy after his scandalous appeal to the church for abandonment of its property. That was ultimately untimely for Innocent II obliged to Bernard for being recognized as the legitimate Pope by almost every European monarchs. 19 articles were sent to Bernard as heretical opinions of Abelard’s freethinking students. Abelard wanted a church council to be held so that he could have an opportunity to defend his teachings, but his own conduct at the Council of Sens became unaccountable. He appealed to the Holy See that seemed to him to be the very Divine justice. Thereby Abelard challenged the judges in proceedings brought to trial by himself in Sens. Rome considered the charge to be proven.

The author attempts to present Abelard’s own actions as the chief reason for the conflict escalation, for the philosopher was depressed by his ill-fated experience at the Council of Soissons (1121). As is evident from Abelard’s Historia calamitatum mearum, he became a kind of a martyr in his own eyes. In the conclusion, the author discusses the date of the Council of Sens and demonstrates that the resources give evidence of a later year than it was generally accepted.

Key words: Peter Abelard, Bernard of Clairvaux, Pope Innocent II, Arnold of Brescia, the Council of Sens, the Council of Soissons, the Cistercian Order

Permanent link: http://rcs-almanac.ru/ru/andersen-v-v-2012-en/