Wazo of Liège (c. 985 – 1048) was

bishop of Liège A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

from 1041 to 1048, and a significant educator and theologian. His life was chronicled by his contemporary Anselm of Liège. During this period

Liège Liège ( ; ; ; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Liège Province, province of Liège, Belgium. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east o ...

became known as an educational center. Wazo, who had himself studied under

Heriger of Lobbes Herigerus ( – 31 October 1007) was a Benedictine monk, often known as Heriger of Lobbes for serving as abbot of the abbey of Lobbes between 990 and 1007. Remembered for his writings as theologian and historian, Herigerus was a teacher to numer ...

, served as scholaster under

Notker of Liège Notker (or Notger) of Liège (; c. 940 – 10 April 1008 AD) was a Order of Saint Benedict, Benedictine monk, bishop (972–1008) and first prince-Bishop, prince-bishop (980–1008) of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, Bishopric of Liège (now in ...

before succeeding Notker as bishop. He is noted also for his nuanced approach to cases of

heresy Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Heresy in Christian ...

(not common in his day). In a letter he wrote to Roger,

Bishop of Châlons A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

, he quoted the New Testament Parable of the Tares and argued "the church should let dissent grow with orthodoxy until the Lord comes to separate and judge them". He was involved in the period 1021–5 in a controversy with John, canon and provost in Liège; Durandus of Liège, then bishop, had Wazo leave for a time. His election as bishop in 1041 was strongly contested,Jaeger, pp. 208–9; Jaeger sees the conflict as between the educational tradition of Brun of Cologne, and monastic tradition; and convicts Wazo of a lack of urbanity. with

Emperor Henry III Henry III (, 28 October 1016 – 5 October 1056), called the Black () or the Pious, was Holy Roman Emperor from 1046 until his death in 1056. A member of the Salian dynasty, he was the eldest son of Conrad II and Gisela of Swabia. Henry was rais ...

against him.

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