Robert of Melun

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Robert of Melun
A portrait of Robert of Melun from a frontispiece to his works.
A portrait of Robert of Melun from a frontispiece to his works.
Denomination Catholic
Senior posting
See Diocese of Hereford
Title Bishop of Hereford
Period in office 1163–1167
Predecessor Gilbert Foliot
Successor Robert Foliot
Personal
Date of death February 27, 1167

Robert of Melun (died 1167) was a scholastic Christian theologian born in England but who worked in France. He was also Bishop of Hereford.

[edit] Life

Robert was an Englishman who studied under Abelard and Hugh of St. Victor at the university in Paris and then began teaching there, as the successor of Abelard in the school on Mont Ste-Geneviève in 1137.[1] While he taught at Paris, John of Salisbury and William of Tyre were among his pupils.[2] He went to Melun in 1142 to direct a school.[1] He took part in the condemnation of Gilbert de la Porrée at the Synod of Reims in 1148.[2] In 1160, Henry II recalled him to England, where he was created Bishop of Hereford in 1163. He was consecrated on December 22, 1163[3] at Canterbury by Archbishop Thomas Becket.[1]

Robert's theology is expressed in his Quaestiones de divina pagina, Quaestiones de epistolis Pauli, and Sententiae, which he did not finish. He was a strict trinitarian and in opposition to Saint Bernard. He argued that each person of the trinity has a special aspect, but no quality present in the one is denied in the others. Thus, the Father has power, the Son wisdom, and the Holy Spirit goodness as special qualities, but each has all in common essence.

He died on February 27, 1167.[3]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c British History Online Bishops of Hereford accessed on October 26, 2007
  2. ^ a b Knowles The Evolution of Medieval Thought p. 178-179
  3. ^ a b Fryde Handbook of British Chronology p. 250

[edit] References

Religious titles
Preceded by
Gilbert Foliot
Bishop of Hereford
1163–1167
Succeeded by
Robert Foliot
Persondata
NAME Robert of Melun
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Bishop of Hereford; Theologian
DATE OF BIRTH
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH February 27, 1167
PLACE OF DEATH
Languages