Felix (died 818) was a Christian bishop and theologian. He served as the

bishop of Urgell The Diocese of Urgell is a diocese in Catalonia (Spain) and Andorra in the historical County of Urgell,

christology In Christianity, Christology (from the Greek grc, Χριστός, Khristós, label=none and grc, -λογία, -logia, label=none), translated literally from Greek as "the study of Christ", is a branch of theology that concerns Jesus. Differ ...

known as

Spanish Adoptionism Spanish Adoptionism (or Adoptianism) was a Christian theological position which was articulated in Umayyad and Christian-held regions of the Iberian peninsula in the 8th- and 9th centuries. The issue seems to have begun with the claim of archbishop ...

because it originated in the lands of the former

Visigothic Kingdom The Visigothic Kingdom, officially the Kingdom of the Goths ( la, Regnum Gothorum), was a kingdom that occupied what is now southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to the 8th centuries. One of the Germanic successor states to ...

in Spain. He was condemned for heresy and all his writings were suppressed. They are known today only through quotations contained in the writings of his opponents.John C. Cavadini, ''The Last Christology of the West: Adoptionism in Spain and Gaul, 785–820'' (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), pp. 71–72. Felix became bishop at an unknown date and lived at the monastery of Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles, in the foothills of the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...

. Before coming to prominence for his adoptionist Christology, he wrote an apology for Christianity against Islam, ''Against the Saracen''. This work is now thought to be lost. In 788, Felix attended a provincial synod in the Archdiocese of Narbonne and signed the conciliar acts. A denunciation of Felix was later attached to these acts because of the presence of Felix's name. In 789 or 790, the city of

La Seu d'Urgell La Seu d'Urgell (; es, Seo de Urgel, formerly in ca, Urgell}) is a town located in the Catalan Pyrenees in Spain. La Seu d'Urgell is also the capital of the comarca Alt Urgell, head of the judicial district of la Seu d'Urgell and the seat of ...

surrendered to a

Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages * Francia, a post-Roman state in France and Germany * East Francia, the successor state to Francia in Germany ...

army and Urgell was incorporated into the Frankish kingdom. This separated the bishopric of Urgell politically from the bulk of the Spanish (Visigothic) church, which was still under Islamic rule. About this time Felix came to prominence for his christological teachings, which attracted criticism from the Anglo-Saxon scholar

Alcuin of York Alcuin of York (; la, Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus; 735 – 19 May 804) – also called Ealhwine, Alhwin, or Alchoin – was a scholar, clergyman, poet, and teacher from York, Northumbria. He was born around 735 and became the student ...

. Alcuin attests that Spanish Adoptionism was widespread among all social classes in formerly Visigothic areas. In 792, the Frankish king

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...

convened a council at Regensburg for the purpose of condemning Felix for heresy. This it did, although the acts of the council have been lost. In response to his condemnation, Felix set out for Rome to formally recant. The

Council of Frankfurt The Council of Frankfurt, traditionally also the Council of Frankfort, in 794 was called by Charlemagne, as a meeting of the important churchmen of the Frankish realm. Bishops and priests from Francia, Aquitaine, Italy, and Provence gathered in ''F ...

in 794 condemned his teachings as heretical.The City - La Seu d´Urgell - The Origins - The Visigothic Period
He was exiled from Urgell and died in

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, third-largest city and Urban area (France), second-largest metropolitan area of F ...

in 818.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Felix 818 deaths 8th-century Frankish bishops Spanish Christian theologians Bishops of Urgell Year of birth unknown Nontrinitarian Christians Medieval Spanish theologians 8th-century Christian theologians