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

bishop of Urgell The Diocese of Urgell (; ) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Catalonia (Spain) and the Principality of Andorra in the historical County of Urgell,christology In Christianity, Christology is a branch of Christian theology, theology that concerns Jesus. Different denominations have different opinions on questions such as whether Jesus was human, divine, or both, and as a messiah what his role would b ...

known as Spanish Adoptionism because it originated in the lands of the former

Visigothic Kingdom The Visigothic Kingdom, Visigothic Spain or Kingdom of the Goths () was a Barbarian kingdoms, barbarian kingdom that occupied what is now southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to the 8th centuries. One of the Germanic people ...

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 are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum elevation of at the peak of Aneto. ...

. 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 The former Catholic diocese of Narbonne existed from early Christian times until the French Revolution. It was an archdiocese, with its see at Narbonne, from the year 445, and its influence ran over much of south-western France and into Catalonia ...

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 (; , formerly ''Urgell'') is a town located in Alt Urgell county in Alt Pirineu, Catalonia, Spain. The town is also the head of its judicial district and the seat of the Bishop of Urgell, one of the co-princes of Andorra. It is ...

surrendered to a

Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages, a group of Low Germanic languages also commonly referred to as "Frankish" varieties * Francia, a post-Roman ...

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 (; ; 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 of Archbishop Ecgbert at York. At the invita ...

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

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

convened a council at

Regensburg Regensburg (historically known in English as Ratisbon) is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Naab and Regen (river), Regen, Danube's northernmost point. It is the capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the ...

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 '' ...

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 (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

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