Jean de Gerson

Jean Charlier de Gerson (Gerson, close to Rethel, 1363 - Lyon, 1429), preacher, teacher and theologist French.

Its life

Called the very Christian doctor, Doctor Christianissimus , it was high with the Collège of Navarre to Paris, and was made receive Doctor of Divinity. He had already made proof in addition to one occasion of energy and talent, when one gave it for successor to Pierre d' Ailly in the load of chancellor of the University (1392). Gerson deployed in the performance of these duties an admirable courage and a wisdom. After the assassination of the duke of Orleans, in 1408, it protested vigorously against the duke of Burgundy, author of the attack, and made condemn Jean Petit, her Apologiste. Its firmness was the same one in its relationship with the Church: at the same time as it showed the adversary of any heresy, mainly with the councils of Pisa and of Constance, it supported with force freedoms of the church gallicane, and fought the relaxation of the discipline. It was in favor of a capacity of the pope lower than that of the Church represented by the general Concile. It worked ardently to try to put an end to the Schisme Église of Occident. After the Council of Constancy (1415), it could not return in its fatherland, because of the civil disorders which afflicted it, and was withdrawn in Bavaria. During its exile, it composed its Consolations of Theology , work divided into four books. At the end of two years it could return in France, but it did not take any more any share with the public affairs, and went to be locked up with Lyon with the convent of the Célestin S, where it was occupied to compose of the ascetic books and to teach the poor children. He died in 1429.

Its theology

As theologist, it tries to work out a mystical theology which is opposed to theology scholastic. Character of transition between the the Middle Ages and the Rebirth, it refutes certain aspects of them all while placing himself on their ground: seeking “an agreement between formalizing and the terminists”, it reproaches Duns Scot or with Jean de Ripa to multiply the gasolines, to introduce as a God of the “forms metaphysics and the ideal reasons”. God who results from it is an arbitrary intellectual construction to which one tries to subject an idea of God wrongly confused with God himself. He also protests against the Platonic identification of God to the Good or a nature necessary (Néo-platonisme) in the name of the primacy of the will and the divine freedom who appears essential to him with the Christianisme. On this point, there remains faithful to Guillaume d' Ockham: “The good things because God wants that they are such, he would not like it more or would like it differently than that even would become the good”. In other words, the primacy of the will as a God cancels any conclusive certainty about it. He thus opens the way with an at the same time negative and mystical theology. Resting on Holy Augustin, Pseudo-Denys Aréopagite, Holy Bernard or Richard of Saint-Victor, this theology are a systematic study of the contemplative experiments which it names " Scientia experimentalis".

Writing in Latin for the scientists and French for the people (women included), the Mountain of Contemplation is a description of the heart which rises with the contemplative life while breaking with the love of the world to stick only to God alone. This rise has three degrees:

1°) Penitence and acceptance of the sufferings of the working life.

2°) Retirement of the heart which seeks loneliness and is voluntarily humiliated to open with the grace.

3°) the contemplation of the heart open and justified by the grace, made pleasant to God and the spiritual joy which results from it. Interested by the mystic of Jean de Ruysbroeck which influences it, it moves back nevertheless in front of the fusion of the heart in the divine gasoline, feeling itself makes indignant at mystical union: “I leave it with largest”.

Works

Criticisms like Robert Bellarmin, Jean Mabillon, Jean-Baptist-Modeste Gence and the Benedictines allot to him the Imitation of Jesus-Christ . Its Consolation written in French, indeed offers a great analogy according to the Dictionnaire Bouillet with this so famous writing.

Fifty-five Sermons and Speech in French (preserved and pronounced 1389 with 1413);
Sixteen Sermons preached before the court (1389 - 1397);
the Mountain of contemplation (1397);
Of restitutione obedientiae (1400);
Thirty Sermons preached in parish (1401 - 1404);
Countered vanam curiositatem in negotio fidei (1402);
Last nine Speeches or Sermons of doctrines (1404 - 1413);
Vivax Rex, Veniat Pax (before 1413);
Consolatio theologiae (1414 - 1419);
Of auferibilitate papae ab Ecclesia (1417);
Treated: the spiritual Begging , Tripartite the , the spiritual Dialog , L has medicine of the heart , the Examination of conscience and the confession, the Art of good food and to die well , a.B.C of simple people , secret Parliament of the contemplative man to his heart , Vision (posthumous, 1492).

Random links: