Lambert Le Bègue
Encyclopedia
Lambert le Bègue was a priest and reformer, who lived in Liège
, Belgium
, in the middle of the 12th century.
The son of poor people, he was ordained priest, and was probably parish priest of St. Christopher at Liège. He began preaching against the abuses and the vices of the clergy, protesting against simony
, the ordination of sons of priests, and certain customs in the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism
and the celebration of Mass.
In time he gathered about him a popular following, for whom he translated into the vernacular
(French) the Life of the Blessed Virgin, the Acts of the Apostles
, and the Epistles of St. Paul, with commentaries; these translations unfortunately have not been preserved. Probably at this period he organized the religious association known as Béguines, whose name cannot be derived philologically from "to beg" (i.e. to pray), but is probably derived from the name bègue (stutterer) given to Lambert, to whom several contemporary and trustworthy authorities attribute the foundation.
But he also had adversaries, especially among the clergy, and it was to refute them that he wrote a defense of his theories, entitled "Antigraphum Petri". His writings reveal him a man very learned for his time; they abound with quotations, not only from the Bible, but also from the Fathers of the Church (e.g. St. Gregory
, St. Augustine
and St. Bernard
), and even from profane authors like Ovid
, Virgil
and Cicero
.
Accused of heresy
, he was condemned and imprisoned notwithstanding his appeal to the Holy See
. He escaped and went over to the antipope Callistus III, who had been recognized by Raoul of Zahringen
, Prince-Bishop
(i.e. bishop and secular ruler) of Liège. He wrote to the pope several letters in justification of his doctrines and conduct, but the result of these endeavors is not known. In all probability he returned to Liège where he died in 1177.
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, in the middle of the 12th century.
The son of poor people, he was ordained priest, and was probably parish priest of St. Christopher at Liège. He began preaching against the abuses and the vices of the clergy, protesting against simony
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
, the ordination of sons of priests, and certain customs in the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and the celebration of Mass.
In time he gathered about him a popular following, for whom he translated into the vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
(French) the Life of the Blessed Virgin, the Acts of the Apostles
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
, and the Epistles of St. Paul, with commentaries; these translations unfortunately have not been preserved. Probably at this period he organized the religious association known as Béguines, whose name cannot be derived philologically from "to beg" (i.e. to pray), but is probably derived from the name bègue (stutterer) given to Lambert, to whom several contemporary and trustworthy authorities attribute the foundation.
But he also had adversaries, especially among the clergy, and it was to refute them that he wrote a defense of his theories, entitled "Antigraphum Petri". His writings reveal him a man very learned for his time; they abound with quotations, not only from the Bible, but also from the Fathers of the Church (e.g. St. Gregory
Pope Gregory I
Pope Gregory I , better known in English as Gregory the Great, was pope from 3 September 590 until his death...
, St. Augustine
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
and St. Bernard
Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order.After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val...
), and even from profane authors like Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
, Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
and Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
.
Accused of heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
, he was condemned and imprisoned notwithstanding his appeal to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. He escaped and went over to the antipope Callistus III, who had been recognized by Raoul of Zahringen
Rudolf of Zähringen
Rudolf of Zähringen was the archbishop of Mainz from 1160 to 1161 and prince-bishop of Liège...
, Prince-Bishop
Prince-Bishop
A Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office...
(i.e. bishop and secular ruler) of Liège. He wrote to the pope several letters in justification of his doctrines and conduct, but the result of these endeavors is not known. In all probability he returned to Liège where he died in 1177.