Martin de Barcos
Encyclopedia
Martin de Barcos was a French theologian of the Jansenist School.
He was born at Bayonne
, a nephew of Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
, Abbot of Saint-Cyran, who sent him to Belgium to be taught by Cornelius Jansen
. When he returned to France he served for a time as tutor to the son of Robert Arnauld d'Andilly and later, 1644, succeeded his uncle at the Benedictine
abbey of Saint-Cyran
in Berry
. He did much to improve the abbey; new buildings were erected, and the library much enhanced. Unlike many commendators of his day who scarcely ever saw the abbeys over which they held authority, Barcos became an active member of Saint-Cyran, was ordained priest 1647, and gave himself up to the rigid asceticism preached by his sect.
His friendship with du Vergier and Arnauld and, through them, with Port-Royal soon brought him to the front in the debates of Jansenism. He collaborated with du Vergier in the Petrus Aurelius and with Arnauld in the book on Frequent Communion.
Of his own treatises, some bear on authority in the Church and some on the then much-mooted questions of grace and predestination
. To the first class belong (1) De l'autorité de saint Pierre et de saint Paul (1645), (2) Grandeur de l'Église de Rome qui repose sur l'autorité de saint Pierre et de saint Paul (1645). (3) Éclaircissements sur quelques objections que l'on a formées contre la grandeur de l'Église de Rome (1646). These three books were written in support of an assertion contained in the book On Frequent Communion, namely: "St. Peter and St. Paul are the two heads of the Roman Church and the two are one". This theory of dual church authority, implying an equality of the two Apostles, was condemned as heretical by Pope Innocent X
, in 1674 (Denzinger, Enchiridion, 965).
To the second class belong:
He was born at Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
, a nephew of Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
Jean du Vergier de Hauranne, Abbé of Saint-Cyran was a French monk who introduced Jansenism into France.In the early 17th century, Jean du Vergier de Hauranne studied theology at the Catholic University of Leuven...
, Abbot of Saint-Cyran, who sent him to Belgium to be taught by Cornelius Jansen
Cornelius Jansen
Corneille Janssens, commonly known by the Latinized name Cornelius Jansen or Jansenius, was Catholic bishop of Ypres and the father of a theological movement known as Jansenism.-Biography:...
. When he returned to France he served for a time as tutor to the son of Robert Arnauld d'Andilly and later, 1644, succeeded his uncle at the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
abbey of Saint-Cyran
Saint-Cyran-du-Jambot
Saint-Cyran-du-Jambot is a commune in the Indre department in central France.Saint-Cyran’s origins lie with a monastic foundation first founded by Saint Sigiramnus in the 7th century. The foundation was first known as Saint-Pierre de Longoret but was later named after its founder...
in Berry
Berry (province)
Berry is a region located in the center of France. It was a province of France until the provinces were replaced by départements on 4 March 1790....
. He did much to improve the abbey; new buildings were erected, and the library much enhanced. Unlike many commendators of his day who scarcely ever saw the abbeys over which they held authority, Barcos became an active member of Saint-Cyran, was ordained priest 1647, and gave himself up to the rigid asceticism preached by his sect.
His friendship with du Vergier and Arnauld and, through them, with Port-Royal soon brought him to the front in the debates of Jansenism. He collaborated with du Vergier in the Petrus Aurelius and with Arnauld in the book on Frequent Communion.
Of his own treatises, some bear on authority in the Church and some on the then much-mooted questions of grace and predestination
Predestination
Predestination, in theology is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God. John Calvin interpreted biblical predestination to mean that God willed eternal damnation for some people and salvation for others...
. To the first class belong (1) De l'autorité de saint Pierre et de saint Paul (1645), (2) Grandeur de l'Église de Rome qui repose sur l'autorité de saint Pierre et de saint Paul (1645). (3) Éclaircissements sur quelques objections que l'on a formées contre la grandeur de l'Église de Rome (1646). These three books were written in support of an assertion contained in the book On Frequent Communion, namely: "St. Peter and St. Paul are the two heads of the Roman Church and the two are one". This theory of dual church authority, implying an equality of the two Apostles, was condemned as heretical by Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X , born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj , was Pope from 1644 to 1655. Born in Rome of a family from Gubbio in Umbria who had come to Rome during the pontificate of Pope Innocent IX, he graduated from the Collegio Romano and followed a conventional cursus honorum, following his uncle...
, in 1674 (Denzinger, Enchiridion, 965).
To the second class belong:
- A censure of Jacques SirmondJacques SirmondJacques Sirmond was a French scholar and Jesuit.Simond was born at Riom, Auvergne. He was educated at the Jesuit College of Billom; having been a novice at Verdun and then at Pont-Mousson, he entered into the order on the 26 July 1576...
's Praedestinatus (1644). - Quae sit Sancti Augustini et doctrinae eius auctoritas in ecclesia? (1650). Barcos holds that a proposition clearly founded on St. AugustineSt. Augustine-People:* Augustine of Hippo or Augustine of Hippo , father of the Latin church* Augustine of Canterbury , first Archbishop of Canterbury* Augustine Webster, an English Catholic martyr.-Places:*St. Augustine, Florida, United States...
can be absolutely accepted and taught, regardless of a Papal BullPapal bullA Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
. For this he was condemned by Pope Alexander VIIIPope Alexander VIIIPope Alexander VIII , born Pietro Vito Ottoboni, was Pope from 1689 to 1691.-Early life:Pietro Ottoboni was born of a noble Venetian family, and was the son of Marco Ottoboni, chancellor of the Republic of Venice...
, 1690 (Cf. Denzinger, no. 1187). Some critics of the Jansenists argued that they placed too much emphasis on their interpretation of various statements of Augustine's. - Exposition de la foy de l'Église romaine touchant la grâce et la prédestination (1696). This book was written at the request of the Jansenist Bishop of Aleth, Nicolas PavillonNicolas PavillonNicolas Pavillon was a French bishop of Alet and Jansenist. His attitude against Pope Alexander VII won him the admiration of Port-Royal. Alet became the "Mecca" of the Jansenists...
, and may be looked upon as the official exposé of Jansenism. It was condemned by the Holy Office, 1697, and again, 1704, when it was published with the Instructions sur la grâce of Antoine ArnauldAntoine ArnauldAntoine Arnauld — le Grand as contemporaries called him, to distinguish him from his father — was a French Roman Catholic theologian, philosopher, and mathematician...
.