Christian Cyclopedia

(from Gk. for “school”).

1. Occidental philos. movement dominant in the later Middle Ages; concerned with dogmatics; accepted the body of doctrine then current as complete; used dialectics (see Dialectic) and speculation in discussing and trying to comprehend, harmonize, and prove doctrines rationally; reasoning came to be patterned largely after that of Aristotle.* See also Anselm of Canterbury.

2. Two schools of realism* (divided bet. followers of Aristotle and those of Plato*) and a school of nominalism* developed. See also Conceptualism.

3. Other exponents of Scholasticism include P. Abelard,* Albertus* Magnus, Alexander* of Hales, G. Biel.* J. Duns* Scotus, Durandus,* Gilbert* de la Porree, W. of Ockham,* Peter* the Lombard, Roscellinus,* Thomas* Aquinas.

4. In the 12th c. Scholasticism fought for recognition; in the 13th it reached its zenith; in the 14th and 15th it declined.

5. Some mystics (e.g., Bernard* of Clairvaux) opposed Scholasticism, some (e.g., Bonaventura*) blended mysticism* and Scholasticism. Other opponents of Scholasticism include R. Bacon.*

See also Bérenger.