Durandus of Saint-Pourçain
Encyclopedia
Durandus of Saint-Pourçain (c. 1275 – 13 September 1332 / 10 September 1334), was a French
philosopher and theologian.
He was born at Saint-Pourçain
, Auvergne
, and entered the Dominican Order
at Clermont
, and obtained the doctoral degree
at Paris in 1313. Clement V called him to as Master of the Sacred Palace
.
In 1318 he was consecrated Bishop of Le Puy-en-Velay and was transferred to the diocese of Meaux
in 1326. He became known as Doctor Resolutissimus owing to his strenuous advocacy of certain opinions novel to contemporary academics. He died at Meaux
.
His writings include:
His nominalism
was so much opposed to the contemporary philosophical realism
that the third period of Scholasticism
is made to begin with him. He rejects both the sensible and the intelligible species (species intelligibiles), introduced, he says, to explain sense-perception, as also the active intellect
. He denies the principle of individuation
, as distinct from the specific nature of the individual.
In theology he argued for a separation of natural knowledge (cognitio naturalis) from that obtained through faith and revelation. Certain dogmas, as that of the Trinity, cannot be shown not to contain impossibilities, but to believe them, withal increases the merit of faith. Because the miracle
s of Christ do not prove His Divinity, His acceptance by the faithful enhances the merit of believing. After all, he says, theology is not strictly a science, since it rests on faith, not on the first principles of knowledge. In theology it is sufficient to know the idea of him who, being inspired, cannot err. He teaches, besides, that all actions proceed from God Who gives the power to act, but this is no immediate influx of the Creator upon the actions of the creature. The sacrament
s are only causes without which grace is not conferred. Marriage
is not strictly a sacrament. He also insinuates that Christ could be present in the Eucharist
with the substances of bread and wine remaining.
Throughout, Durandus shows submission to the corrective prerogative of the Church, the exercise of which was not unnecessary. By order of Pope John XXII
the treatise De statu animarum was examined, and was found to contain eleven errors.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
philosopher and theologian.
He was born at Saint-Pourçain
Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule
Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule is a commune in the Allier department in central France.-Geography:The commune is located north of Vichy and south of Moulins on the Route nationale 9....
, Auvergne
Auvergne (province)
Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province....
, and entered the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
at Clermont
Clermont
-In Canada:*Clermont, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec*Clermont, Capitale-Nationale, Quebec-In France:* Clermont, Ariège, in the Ariège département* Clermont, Haute-Savoie, in the Haute-Savoie département* Clermont, Landes, in the Landes département...
, and obtained the doctoral degree
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
at Paris in 1313. Clement V called him to as Master of the Sacred Palace
Master of the Sacred Palace
In the Roman Catholic Church, Theologian of the Pontifical Household is a Roman Curial office which has always been entrusted to a Friar Preacher of the Dominican Order and may be described as the pope's theologian...
.
In 1318 he was consecrated Bishop of Le Puy-en-Velay and was transferred to the diocese of Meaux
Diocese of Meaux
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Meaux, is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church in France. The diocese comprises the entire department of Seine-et-Marne...
in 1326. He became known as Doctor Resolutissimus owing to his strenuous advocacy of certain opinions novel to contemporary academics. He died at Meaux
Meaux
Meaux is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located east-northeast from the center of Paris. Meaux is a sub-prefecture of the department and the seat of an arondissement...
.
His writings include:
- commentaries on the Sentences (Paris, 1508)
- De origine jurisdictionum (Paris, 1506)
- a treatise on the condition of holy souls after their separation from the body.
His nominalism
Nominalism
Nominalism is a metaphysical view in philosophy according to which general or abstract terms and predicates exist, while universals or abstract objects, which are sometimes thought to correspond to these terms, do not exist. Thus, there are at least two main versions of nominalism...
was so much opposed to the contemporary philosophical realism
Philosophical realism
Contemporary philosophical realism is the belief that our reality, or some aspect of it, is ontologically independent of our conceptual schemes, linguistic practices, beliefs, etc....
that the third period of Scholasticism
Scholasticism
Scholasticism is a method of critical thought which dominated teaching by the academics of medieval universities in Europe from about 1100–1500, and a program of employing that method in articulating and defending orthodoxy in an increasingly pluralistic context...
is made to begin with him. He rejects both the sensible and the intelligible species (species intelligibiles), introduced, he says, to explain sense-perception, as also the active intellect
Active intellect
The active intellect is a concept in classical and medieval philosophy...
. He denies the principle of individuation
Principle of individuation
The Principle of Individuation is a criterion which supposedly individuates or numerically distinguishes the members of the kind for which it is given, i.e. by which we can supposedly determine, regarding any kind of thing, when we have more than one of them or not. It is also known as a...
, as distinct from the specific nature of the individual.
In theology he argued for a separation of natural knowledge (cognitio naturalis) from that obtained through faith and revelation. Certain dogmas, as that of the Trinity, cannot be shown not to contain impossibilities, but to believe them, withal increases the merit of faith. Because the miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
s of Christ do not prove His Divinity, His acceptance by the faithful enhances the merit of believing. After all, he says, theology is not strictly a science, since it rests on faith, not on the first principles of knowledge. In theology it is sufficient to know the idea of him who, being inspired, cannot err. He teaches, besides, that all actions proceed from God Who gives the power to act, but this is no immediate influx of the Creator upon the actions of the creature. The sacrament
Sacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
s are only causes without which grace is not conferred. Marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
is not strictly a sacrament. He also insinuates that Christ could be present in the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
with the substances of bread and wine remaining.
Throughout, Durandus shows submission to the corrective prerogative of the Church, the exercise of which was not unnecessary. By order of Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
the treatise De statu animarum was examined, and was found to contain eleven errors.