Walter of Mortagne
Walter of Mortagne (Latin Gualterius de Mauritania; * before 1100 in Mortagne, † July 16, 1174 ) was a teacher of theology and philosophy in Reims and Laon and Bishop of Laon.
Life
Walter of Mortagne was before 1100 in Mortagne, today Mortagne -du -Nord, born in Flanders, as scion of the local Lord family. Walters said father as he, his mother Perona. He had four brothers, smashing a clerical career, in part.
After a first degree in the schools of Tournai, Walter turned to Reims, where he was soon with the head of the cathedral school, archdeacon Alberich, later the Archbishop of Bourges, was quarreled. When Walter began to outshine its fame and einrichtete own school at Saint- Remi Abbey, he was expelled from that of Reims.
He then moved with him a bevy of devoted students around 1120 in the neighboring Laon, where he taught dialectics and theology. With the death of Anselm of Laon at that time was the fame of the school of Laon, probably the most important theological school at the beginning of the 12th century, on the other under William of Champeaux, Alberich of Reims and, temporarily, Abelard and Gilbert de la Porrée their theological education had received faded. Walter tried to reactivation.
Whether Walter also pursued a teaching career at the Genovefaberg in Paris 1136-1148, is uncertain. The same applies to a presence at the Council of Reims in 1148, the Gilbert de la Porrée was convicted.
Around 1150 Walter held a canonry in the church of Antoing. When the canons of Antiong in a dispute to Pope Eugene III. appealed, Walter of Mortagne was their spokesman and advocate. As such, he seems to have taken a trip to the Curia. About the same time held the office of Walter Dean at the cathedral of Laon, 1142-1155.
In 1155, the highly respected scientists as the successor of Bishop Walter of Saint- Maurice ( 1151-1155 ), who came from the Premonstratensian Order, was elected Bishop of Laon. Under his aegis, the Cathedral, which was built quickly and today is one of the early Gothic church buildings stilreinsten began in France. About his other activities as bishop of Laon, many have received information, a detailed presentation would be too much at this point. Walter took part in many synods in part, built churches and monasteries and arbitrated many conflicts. Sometimes he joined while in contact with the Holy See and the royal house.
With his native Tournai Walter remained all his life in close connection. In a report on the foundation of the monastery of Saint-Nicolas -des- Prés Bishop Walter is counted among the special benefactors of the new creation, the Chapter of Tournai he handed over the year before his death all his serfs, to the cathedral church, he donated one years memory.
Walter finally had to give up his bishop's throne because of frailty. In its place came a nephew of the same name, who had previously been treasurer of the Cathedral of Laon. Walter wanted to confirm this choice to the Holy See, there overtook him on the way back to the death.
Bishop Walter of Mortagne died on July 16, 1174, he was buried in Laon in the church of Saint -Martin in all honor.
Work
Despite his many years of scientific activity only a few writings Walters have been handed down from Mortagne:
- Treatise " De Trinitate "
- Treatise " De Conjugio "
- 10 letters of theological content
- Comment on Isagoge of Porphyry (Authorship likely but not guaranteed )
Effect
In universals Walter moved by John of Salisbury, the position of the so-called indifference. In his view, the universal is indifferent in itself, but is determined as a predicative complement of a subject by assuming different status. Socrates was therefore as an individual, a species, namely human, or a genus, namely creatures -. Depending on the particular status or aspect, the one does not adopt The significance of this doctrine is that it ascribes all real Existing individual existence and all Universal - species or genus - a product of thought. Walter of Mortagne thus turned against the exaggerated realism of William of Champeaux and paved the way for the moderate realism of the 13th century.