Peter Abelard

Peter Abelard (1079-1142) was born in Pallet, near Nantes. In 1115 be became canon of Notre Dame in Paris and master of the cathedral school, where he taught theology and logic. Abelard found himself falling in love with Héloïse, a pupil of his, who was 20 years his junior. Because marriage would get in the way of his career they married covertly but their secret was discovered. As a consequence, her uncle, a Parisian Cathedral canon, sent Héloïse away to a nunnery and had the unfortunate Abelard castrated. He became a monk at St Denis monastery and their feelings for each other turned from earthly to spiritual love as they continued to correspond with each other. Resuming teaching a year later, Abelard began writing theological tomes. His first published work, a treatise on the Trinity, was condemned and ordered to be burnt by a Roman Catholic council. Despite the controversy surrounding him, Abelard in time came to be recognised as one of the major Christian thinkers of his day. His scholastic text, Sic Et Non (Yes And No), which discussed the relationship between faith and reason, was read by learned men throughout western Europe, and his lectures attracted crowds of students.