The Lectura super primum et secundum Sententiarum serves as the definitive textual record of Gregory of Rimini, an Augustinian friar who bridged disparate intellectual currents in the fourteenth century. Operating across academic hubs in Italy and France, he synthesized distinct traditions of scholastic thought while maintaining a rigorous adherence to the theological foundations established by Saint Augustine.
Academic Trajectory
Born in 1300 at Rimini, Gregory pursued theological studies at the University of Paris during the 1320s. His intellectual development included engagement with the ideas of Peter Auriol. Throughout the 1330s, he held teaching positions at Augustinian institutions in Bologna, Padua, and Perugia, where he encountered the writings of Oxford scholars such as Adam Wodeham, William Ockham, and Walter Chatton. Returning to Paris in 1342, he delivered his influential commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard, officially attaining the rank of Master of Theology by 1345.
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Gregory is noted for integrating the disparate philosophical approaches of Oxford and Paris into a cohesive Augustinian framework. His writings sought to counter trends he identified as neo-pelagianism, arguing for a strict interpretation of predestination and grace. He contended that God selects individuals from the massa perditionis based solely on divine pleasure, independent of future human actions. On the matter of original sin, he maintained that those lacking sanctifying grace through baptism remain outside the possibility of heaven, a position that placed him in opposition to some contemporary scholastic trends.
Prior General and Final Years
In 1357, Gregory was elected Prior General of the Order of the Hermits of Saint Augustine. His administration was characterized by strict enforcement of the order's constitutional rules. He imposed public penance upon priors for failing to observe the prescribed Lenten fasts and sanctioned religious members for the acquisition of comforts, such as fine linens and mattresses. He died in Vienna in 1358. His burial inscription remains a testament to his scholastic identity, addressing passersby with a meditation on mortality and the shared nature of human existence.
Fast facts
- Born: 1300, Rimini
- Died: 1358, Vienna
- Member of: Order of the Hermits of Saint Augustine
- Primary Work: Lectura super primum et secundum Sententiarum
- Academic Posts: University of Paris, University of Bologna, University of Padua, University of Perugia
- Scholastic Nicknames: Doctor Acutus, Doctor Authenticus, Doctor Subtilissimus
Questions readers ask
What were Gregory of Rimini's primary philosophical influences?
He was most significantly shaped by the works of Saint Augustine, while also engaging with fourteenth-century Oxford thinkers like William Ockham, Adam Wodeham, and Walter Chatton.
Why did Gregory of Rimini punish his fellow Augustinians?
As Prior General, he enforced the order's rules against the acquisition of private comforts, such as fine mattresses and sheets, and penalized priors who neglected to observe the required Lenten fasts.
Achievements
- Notable work: Lectura super primum et secundum Sententiarum
- Held posts at University of Bologna, University of Paris and University of Padua
