Alberich of Reims ( 1085 – 1141) was a scholar who studied under

Anselm of Laon Anselm of Laon ( la, Anselmus; 1117), properly Ansel ('), was a French theologian and founder of a school of scholars who helped to pioneer biblical hermeneutics. Biography Born of very humble parents at Laon before the middle of the 11th cent ...

and later became an opponent of

Peter Abelard Peter Abelard (; french: link=no, Pierre Abélard; la, Petrus Abaelardus or ''Abailardus''; 21 April 1142) was a medieval French scholastic philosopher, leading logician, theologian, poet, composer and musician. This source has a detailed desc ...

. He was originally from Reims, but moved to nearby Laon to study under Anselm and his brother Ralph. When Anselm died he returned to his hometown to take a position at the

School of Reims The School of Reims was the cathedral school of Reims Cathedral in France that was in operation during the Middle Ages. The term is also used of an artistic style in Carolingian art, lasting into Ottonian art in works such as the gold relief figur ...

, restoring that school to its earlier prominence. He also served as Archdeacon of Reims from 1131 to 1136. He was reluctantly promoted by the Pope to be

Archbishop of Bourges In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...

in 1136 and served there until his death in 1141. Other than a single letter, no writings of Alberich survive. He was considered one of the great scholars of his age by his contemporaries. His specialty, building on the work of Anslem, was commentaries on the Christian

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

. Alberich along with another student of Anselm's, Lotulf of Lombardy, instigated proceedings against

, charging him with the heresy of

Sabellius Sabellius (fl. ca. 215) was a third-century priest and theologian who most likely taught in Rome, but may have been a North African from Libya. Basil and others call him a Libyan from Pentapolis, but this seems to rest on the fact that Pentapolis ...

in a provincial synod held at

Soissons Soissons () is a commune in the northern French department of Aisne, in the region of Hauts-de-France. Located on the river Aisne, about northeast of Paris, it is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital ...

in 1121. Alberich was a follower of the longstanding approach of judging theological arguments by the historical authority or who had made them. This view was rapidly undermined by Abelard's dialectical approach that came to dominate.John R. Williams. “The Cathedral School of Reims in the time of Master Alberic, 1118 - 1136.” ''Traditio'', vol. 20, 1964, pp. 93–114. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/27830770. Accessed 27 Jan. 2021.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alberich Of Reims 1080s births 1141 deaths 12th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in France Archbishops of Bourges