medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear Marjorie,
> "Both St Norbert and [Abelard] were canons of unreformed communities: N.
[initials mine] at the church of St Victor in Xanten (in Lorraine) and A. at
Notre-Dame in Paris.
This sounds like the chapter of ND was reformed later. There was never a
real "reform " of the *chapter* of ND in the 11century. After 1123, the
"reforming bishop" Stephen von Senlis tried to restrict the mighty
archdeaconry (Stephen of Garland, Theobald Notier) and to replace the
retiring canons of ND exclusively by regular canons of St Victor, peu à peu,
but his plan partially failed by the heavy opposition of the chapter and the
king (Louis VII.). As regards A's first stay in Paris, the sources reflect a
very pluralistic teaching scene in Paris: The schools were connected with
different institutions and spread over a large area: in the inner city
district (e. g. the "atrium schools" of W. of Champeaux, Abelard), within
the cloister (several private schools of members of the chapter and the
public schools of Tressantia), on the left bank of the Seine (e.g. St.
Geneviève) and on other places. There was even a Jewish thora school in the
center of the city, and the young Jewish students were allowed to take part
in the lessons of Christian doctrine. Teaching was NOT necessarily combined
with a canonry (remember A. stay in Melun and Corbeil). During A's second
stay in Paris (~1135-1138), the situation was quite different: The schools
of the city and the cloister were under episcopal surveillance and reformed,
as well as the schools at St Victor. One may see them as one institution.
"Free" teaching (e. g. Abelard, Gilbert de la Porrée, William de Conches)
was primarily located on the left bank of the Seine and connected with
*secular* canon's institutions like Saint-Geneviève or Saint-Marcel. They
had more acceptance by the foreign students (e.g. Otto of Freising or John
of Salisbury). This kind of teaching was more and more overwhelmed by the
chicanes of the ecclesiastical reform party. In 1148, Saint-Victor took over
Saint-Geneviève by a surprising "attack" (gentlemens agreement: Eugen III=
St. Bernard, Suger, Gilduin, Louis VII). So in about 1150, "free" teaching
in Paris was at an end.
>A. was also an abbot of St. Gildas. He claims the monks tried to kill him
in protest against the reforms he tried to impose.
Principally, a former canon could become an abbot, and an abbot could retire
(Abelard NOT before 1141), but an abbot couldn't get a canonry. A's abbacy
and his monastic reform plans are nor relevant for A.'s first stay in Paris
and the questions of canonry, but it's surprising that A's status as abbot
didn't hinder his late career and his reputation as leading theologist of
Paris between 1135 and 1138. Abelard taught at Saint-Hilaire then, connected
with a secular canons' institution like Saint-Marcel (*perhaps* by the
support of Gilbert de la Porrée) - quit unusual for a Benectine abbot!
>As for Sens, A. was tried and condemned as a heretic there in 1140.
This is the traditional point of view, maintained by several editions up to
2000, deriving from some faulty medieval chronicles and E. Vacanard's "La
vie de Saint Bernard". A's sentences and books - *but not A. himself!* -
were condemned at Sens in *25th may 1141*. In the meantime, this late dating
of S.M. Deutsch and P. Jaffé (1880-1888) is supported by most Abelardian and
Bernardian scholars, with very serious arguments (e. g. Dinzelbacher, Mews,
Gastaldelli, Zerbi). As regards this reconsideration, I had to correct my
former own opinion, and actually I work in a larger essay about A's last
years, giving some additional arguments for re-dating and re-placing.
Kind regards
W. Robl
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