He was the intellectual rock star of the 12th century – brilliant, controversial, and deeply human. Peter Abelard dared to apply rigorous logic to the mysteries of Christian theology, revolutionizing medieval thought and sparking fierce debate. Join us as we explore Abelard's tumultuous life, from his meteoric rise and infamous love affair to his groundbreaking "Sic et Non" method. Discover how this master of dialectic refined Christian theology and paved the way for intellectual inquiry within faith, leaving a legacy as complex and compelling as his own dramatic story.
Works Cited
Abelard, Peter. Historia Calamitatum: The Story of My Misfortunes. Translated by Henry Adams Bellows, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, ccel.org/ccel/abelard/misfortunes.html.
"Bernard Lonergan." Lonergan.org, n.d., lonergan.org/about/bernard-lonergan.
"Heloise." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 May 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heloise.
Jenkins, Martin. "Peter Abelard (1079-1142)." Philosophy Now, no. 134, 2025, philosophynow.org/issues/134/Peter_Abelard_1079-1142.
Kelso, Carl J., Jr. THE HELOISE OF HISTORY THESIS. 1988. University of North Texas, Master of Arts thesis.
O’Grady, Paul. "Wisdom and methodological diversity in philosophy of religion." Religious Studies, vol. 60, 2024, pp. 65–76, doi.org/10.1017/S0034412522000774.
Pies, Ronald. "Are Antidepressants Effective in the Acute and Long-term Treatment of Depression? Sic et Non." PubMed Central, U.S. National Library of Medicine, May-June 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3398684/.
Rea, Michael. "Analytic Theology." St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology, edited by Brendan N. Wolfe et al., University of St Andrews, 10 Aug. 2022, www.saet.ac.uk/Christianity/AnalyticTheology.
Ruys, Juanita Feros. "'He who kills himself liberates a wretch': Abelard on Suicide." Rethinking Abelard: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Juanita Feros Ruys, Brill, 2014, pp. 230–49.
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