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Agobard

May 09, 2024

Agobard of Lyon (c. 779–840) was a Spanish-born priest and archbishop of Lyon, during the Carolingian Renaissance. The author of multiple treatises, ranging in subject matter from the iconoclast controversy to Spanish Adoptionism to critiques of the Carolingian royal family, Agobard is best known for his critiques of Jewish religious practices and political power in the Frankish-Carolingian realm. He was succeeded by Amulo of Lyons.

Saint Agobard
Archbishop
Bornc. 779
Spain[1]
Died840 (aged 60–61)
Feast6 June

Early life edit

A native of Spain, Agobard moved to Lyon in 792. He was ordained as a priest c. 804, and was well-liked by the archbishop of Lyon, Leidrad (r. 799–816). At some point, Agobard was ordained as a chorbishop, or assistant bishop. Controversy arose in 814, when the aging Leidrad retired into a monastery, appointing Agobard as his successor. While Carolingian emperor Louis the Pious did not object to the appointment, some of the other bishops did, calling a synod at Arles to protest the elevation of a new bishop while the old bishop still lived. Archbishop Leidrad died in 816, and the controversy fizzled out, leaving Agobard as the new archbishop. Soon after taking office, he confronted several issues, which included opposing trials by ordeal,[2] and, in 818, writing against Felix of Urgel's Spanish Adoptionist Christology.[3]

Anti-Jewish polemic edit

Agobard is notorious for his vocal attacks on the local Jewish population and their religious practices. Jewish communities living in the Frankish or Carolingian realm had been granted considerable freedoms under Louis the Pious son of Charlemagne, including a prohibition on Christian proselytizing. Louis appointed a magister Iudaeorum to ensure Jewish legal protection, and did not force Jews to allow baptism for their slaves. Agobard found this last provision particularly galling, and wrote his first anti-Jewish tract on the matter: De Baptismo Judaicorum Mancipiorum (c. 823).[4] For the rest of the decade, Agobard campaigned against what he saw as the dangerous growth in power and influence of Jews in the kingdom that was contrary to canon law.[5] It was during this time that he wrote such works as Contra Praeceptum Impium[6] (c. 826), De Insolentia Judeorum[7] (c. 827), De Judaicis Superstitionibus[8] (c. 827), and De Cavendo Convictu et Societate Judaica[9] (c. 827).[10] Agobard's rhetoric, which included describing Jews as "filii diaboli" ("children of the devil") was indicative of the developing anti-Jewish strain of medieval Christian thought. As Jeremy Cohen has claimed, Agobard's response was paradoxically both stereotypical and knowledgeable (he showed a great knowledge of contemporary Judaism, while maintaining and perpetuating stereotypes).[11]

Icons edit

In the 820s, a controversy emerged over the iconoclastic policies of bishop Claudius of Turin.[12] This stance was opposed by Dungal of Bobbio at the request of Louis the Pious. Agobard, in his Book on Paintings and Images, came out in opposition to Dungal's method of using secular knowledge to justify veneration of images.[13]

Political problems edit

In the 820s, Agobard had already shown his willingness to challenge Louis the Pious on the subject of Jews and on secular holdings of church land.[14] Agobard continued to confront the emperor, particularly on the issues of royal succession and the matter of land ownership. Agobard accused the emperor of abandoning his 817 Ordinatio imperii decree, which promoted an all-encompassing unity of church and empire.[15] In both of the two rebellions against Louis, 830 and 833, Agobard supported the ill-fated revolt of Louis' son Lothair I. In 833, when Lothair launched his second revolt, Agobard published his support for Lothair once more in several works: A Comparison of Ecclesiastical and Political Government and Wherein the Dignity of the Church Outshines the Majesty of Empires and the Liber Apologeticus in defense of the rebelling sons of Louis.[16]

Exile and return edit

After Louis was restored to his power, backed by his sons Louis the German and Pepin I of Aquitaine, Agobard was suspended from his episcopate by the Council of Thionville and exiled, replaced by the chorbishop Amalarius of Metz (c. 775 – c. 850).[17] During his tenure in Lyon, Amalarius worked to impose liturgical reforms upon the archdiocese of Lyon. Amalarius' reforms were characterized by a heavy reliance upon allegorical and symbolic representations within the Mass. Agobard, on the other hand, disdained Amalarius' reforms as "theatrical" and "showy" and favored a more plain liturgy.[18] Amalarius' reforms were also opposed by Agobard's disciple Florus of Lyon; Amalarius was deposed and accused of heresy in 838.[19] Agobard wrote three works against Amalarius: On Divine Psalmody, On the Correction of the Antiphonary, and Liber officialis. When he returned to Lyon, Agobard worked to roll back Amalarius' actions, with the support of Florus.[20]

Other works edit

During his life, Agobard wrote more works on other issues, including several against pagan practices,[21] two on the role of clergy,[22] and a treatise on icons.[23]

Agobard also wrote a treatise arguing against weather magic called De Grandine et Tonitruis ("On Hail and Thunder"). A passage in it mentions the popular belief in ships in the clouds whose sailors were thought to take crops damaged by hail or storms to their land of Magonia.

Many of his works were lost until 1605, when a manuscript was discovered in Lyons and published by Papirius Masson, and again by Baluze in 1666.[24] Agobard's complete works can be found in Volume 104 of J.P. Migne's Patrologia Latina, and, in a more recent edition, in Van Acker's Agobardi Lugdunensis Opera Omnia.[25]

References edit

  1. ^ Jones, Terry. . Patron Saints Index. Archived from the original on 9 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
  2. ^ For example, Adversus legem Gundobadi (PL:104:113B-126B) and Contra judicium Dei (PL 104: 249C- 287C).
  3. ^ Against the Dogma of Felix: Adversus dogma Felicis Urgellensis PL:104:29C-70A.
  4. ^ PL 104:99D-106B
  5. ^ Allen Cabaniss, Agobard of Lyons: Churchman and Critic, (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1953), 46–7.
  6. ^ PL 104:173D-178C
  7. ^ PL 104:69B-76B
  8. ^ PL 104:77A-100C
  9. ^ PL 104:107A-114B
  10. ^ McCracken, Early Medieval Theology, 329.
  11. ^ Jeremy Cohen, Living Letters of the Law: Ideas of the Jew in Medieval Christianity, (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999), 144–5.
  12. ^ S. Wemple, "Claudius of Turin's Organic Metaphor or the Carolingian Doctrine of Incorporation," Speculum 49 (1974): 222–37; James R. Ginther, Westminster Handbook to Medieval Theology, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009), 40.
  13. ^ Giulio D'Onofrio, ed. History of Theology II: The Middle Ages, (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2008),68-9.
  14. ^ Cabaniss, Agobard of Lyons, 85.
  15. ^ Cohen, Living Letters of the Law, 138-9.
  16. ^ Cabaniss, Agobard of Lyons, 85-9.
  17. ^ D'Onofrio, History of Theology II: The Middle Ages, 68.
  18. ^ McCracken, Early Medieval Theology, 331.
  19. ^ McCracken, Early Medieval Theology, 330.
  20. ^ Ginther, Westminster Handbook to Medieval Theology, 9.
  21. ^ For example,De grandine et tonitruis (PL 104:147A-158C) and De quorumdam inclusion signorum (PL 104:179A-186A).
  22. ^ De modo regiminis ecclesiastici (PL 104:189A-200A); De privilegio et jure sacerdotii (PL 104: 127A-148A).
  23. ^ De imaginibus (PL 104: 199B-228A).
  24. ^   One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Agobard". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 380.
  25. ^ Agobard of Lyon, Agobardi Lugdunensis Opera Omnia, L. Van Acker, ed. CCCM 52 (Turnhout: Brepols, 1981).

Further reading edit

  • Agobard of Lyon, Agobardi Lugdunensis Opera Omnia. Ed. L. Van Acker. CCCM 52. Turnhout: Brepols, 1981.
  • Cabaniss, Allen. Agobard of Lyons: Churchman and Critic. Syracuse, 1954.
  • Cohen, Jeremy. Living Letter of the Law: Ideas of the Jew in Medieval Christianity. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999.
  • D'Onofrio, Giulio, ed. History of Theology II: The Middle Ages. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2008.
  • Ginther, James R. Westminster Handbook to Medieval Theology. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.
  • Levy, Richard S., ed. Antisemitism: A historical encyclopedia of prejudice and persecution (Vol. 1. ABC-CLIO, 2005) p. 6.
  • Wemple, S. "Claudius of Turin's Organic Metaphor or the Carolingian Doctrine of Incorporation." Speculum 49 (1974): 222–37.

External links edit

  • Jewish Encyclopedia article
  • Complete works of Agobard, J.P. Migne, ed. Patrologia Latina, with analytical indexes
  • 1605 online Editio princeps

May 09, 2024
agobard, lyon, spanish, born, priest, archbishop, lyon, during, carolingian, renaissance, author, multiple, treatises, ranging, subject, matter, from, iconoclast, controversy, spanish, adoptionism, critiques, carolingian, royal, family, best, known, critiques,. Agobard of Lyon c 779 840 was a Spanish born priest and archbishop of Lyon during the Carolingian Renaissance The author of multiple treatises ranging in subject matter from the iconoclast controversy to Spanish Adoptionism to critiques of the Carolingian royal family Agobard is best known for his critiques of Jewish religious practices and political power in the Frankish Carolingian realm He was succeeded by Amulo of Lyons Saint AgobardArchbishopBornc 779 Spain 1 Died840 aged 60 61 Feast6 June Contents 1 Early life 2 Anti Jewish polemic 3 Icons 4 Political problems 5 Exile and return 6 Other works 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksEarly life editA native of Spain Agobard moved to Lyon in 792 He was ordained as a priest c 804 and was well liked by the archbishop of Lyon Leidrad r 799 816 At some point Agobard was ordained as a chorbishop or assistant bishop Controversy arose in 814 when the aging Leidrad retired into a monastery appointing Agobard as his successor While Carolingian emperor Louis the Pious did not object to the appointment some of the other bishops did calling a synod at Arles to protest the elevation of a new bishop while the old bishop still lived Archbishop Leidrad died in 816 and the controversy fizzled out leaving Agobard as the new archbishop Soon after taking office he confronted several issues which included opposing trials by ordeal 2 and in 818 writing against Felix of Urgel s Spanish Adoptionist Christology 3 Anti Jewish polemic editAgobard is notorious for his vocal attacks on the local Jewish population and their religious practices Jewish communities living in the Frankish or Carolingian realm had been granted considerable freedoms under Louis the Pious son of Charlemagne including a prohibition on Christian proselytizing Louis appointed a magister Iudaeorum to ensure Jewish legal protection and did not force Jews to allow baptism for their slaves Agobard found this last provision particularly galling and wrote his first anti Jewish tract on the matter De Baptismo Judaicorum Mancipiorum c 823 4 For the rest of the decade Agobard campaigned against what he saw as the dangerous growth in power and influence of Jews in the kingdom that was contrary to canon law 5 It was during this time that he wrote such works as Contra Praeceptum Impium 6 c 826 De Insolentia Judeorum 7 c 827 De Judaicis Superstitionibus 8 c 827 and De Cavendo Convictu et Societate Judaica 9 c 827 10 Agobard s rhetoric which included describing Jews as filii diaboli children of the devil was indicative of the developing anti Jewish strain of medieval Christian thought As Jeremy Cohen has claimed Agobard s response was paradoxically both stereotypical and knowledgeable he showed a great knowledge of contemporary Judaism while maintaining and perpetuating stereotypes 11 Icons editIn the 820s a controversy emerged over the iconoclastic policies of bishop Claudius of Turin 12 This stance was opposed by Dungal of Bobbio at the request of Louis the Pious Agobard in his Book on Paintings and Images came out in opposition to Dungal s method of using secular knowledge to justify veneration of images 13 Political problems editIn the 820s Agobard had already shown his willingness to challenge Louis the Pious on the subject of Jews and on secular holdings of church land 14 Agobard continued to confront the emperor particularly on the issues of royal succession and the matter of land ownership Agobard accused the emperor of abandoning his 817 Ordinatio imperii decree which promoted an all encompassing unity of church and empire 15 In both of the two rebellions against Louis 830 and 833 Agobard supported the ill fated revolt of Louis son Lothair I In 833 when Lothair launched his second revolt Agobard published his support for Lothair once more in several works A Comparison of Ecclesiastical and Political Government and Wherein the Dignity of the Church Outshines the Majesty of Empires and the Liber Apologeticus in defense of the rebelling sons of Louis 16 Exile and return editAfter Louis was restored to his power backed by his sons Louis the German and Pepin I of Aquitaine Agobard was suspended from his episcopate by the Council of Thionville and exiled replaced by the chorbishop Amalarius of Metz c 775 c 850 17 During his tenure in Lyon Amalarius worked to impose liturgical reforms upon the archdiocese of Lyon Amalarius reforms were characterized by a heavy reliance upon allegorical and symbolic representations within the Mass Agobard on the other hand disdained Amalarius reforms as theatrical and showy and favored a more plain liturgy 18 Amalarius reforms were also opposed by Agobard s disciple Florus of Lyon Amalarius was deposed and accused of heresy in 838 19 Agobard wrote three works against Amalarius On Divine Psalmody On the Correction of the Antiphonary and Liber officialis When he returned to Lyon Agobard worked to roll back Amalarius actions with the support of Florus 20 Other works editDuring his life Agobard wrote more works on other issues including several against pagan practices 21 two on the role of clergy 22 and a treatise on icons 23 Agobard also wrote a treatise arguing against weather magic called De Grandine et Tonitruis On Hail and Thunder A passage in it mentions the popular belief in ships in the clouds whose sailors were thought to take crops damaged by hail or storms to their land of Magonia Many of his works were lost until 1605 when a manuscript was discovered in Lyons and published by Papirius Masson and again by Baluze in 1666 24 Agobard s complete works can be found in Volume 104 of J P Migne s Patrologia Latina and in a more recent edition in Van Acker s Agobardi Lugdunensis Opera Omnia 25 References edit Jones Terry Agobard Patron Saints Index Archived from the original on 9 February 2007 Retrieved 2007 03 18 For example Adversus legem Gundobadi PL 104 113B 126B and Contra judicium Dei PL 104 249C 287C Against the Dogma of Felix Adversus dogma Felicis Urgellensis PL 104 29C 70A PL 104 99D 106B Allen Cabaniss Agobard of Lyons Churchman and Critic Syracuse NY Syracuse University Press 1953 46 7 PL 104 173D 178C PL 104 69B 76B PL 104 77A 100C PL 104 107A 114B McCracken Early Medieval Theology 329 Jeremy Cohen Living Letters of the Law Ideas of the Jew in Medieval Christianity Berkeley University of California Press 1999 144 5 S Wemple Claudius of Turin s Organic Metaphor or the Carolingian Doctrine of Incorporation Speculum 49 1974 222 37 James R Ginther Westminster Handbook to Medieval Theology Louisville KY Westminster John Knox Press 2009 40 Giulio D Onofrio ed History of Theology II The Middle Ages Collegeville MN Liturgical Press 2008 68 9 Cabaniss Agobard of Lyons 85 Cohen Living Letters of the Law 138 9 Cabaniss Agobard of Lyons 85 9 D Onofrio History of Theology II The Middle Ages 68 McCracken Early Medieval Theology 331 McCracken Early Medieval Theology 330 Ginther Westminster Handbook to Medieval Theology 9 For example De grandine et tonitruis PL 104 147A 158C and De quorumdam inclusion signorum PL 104 179A 186A De modo regiminis ecclesiastici PL 104 189A 200A De privilegio et jure sacerdotii PL 104 127A 148A De imaginibus PL 104 199B 228A nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Agobard Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 1 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 380 Agobard of Lyon Agobardi Lugdunensis Opera Omnia L Van Acker ed CCCM 52 Turnhout Brepols 1981 Further reading editAgobard of Lyon Agobardi Lugdunensis Opera Omnia Ed L Van Acker CCCM 52 Turnhout Brepols 1981 Cabaniss Allen Agobard of Lyons Churchman and Critic Syracuse 1954 Cohen Jeremy Living Letter of the Law Ideas of the Jew in Medieval Christianity Berkeley University of California Press 1999 D Onofrio Giulio ed History of Theology II The Middle Ages Collegeville MN Liturgical Press 2008 Ginther James R Westminster Handbook to Medieval Theology Louisville KY Westminster John Knox Press 2009 Levy Richard S ed Antisemitism A historical encyclopedia of prejudice and persecution Vol 1 ABC CLIO 2005 p 6 Wemple S Claudius of Turin s Organic Metaphor or the Carolingian Doctrine of Incorporation Speculum 49 1974 222 37 External links editJewish Encyclopedia article Complete works of Agobard J P Migne ed Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes 1605 online Editio princeps Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Agobard amp oldid 1204846804, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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