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Hugh of St. Victor · 1130–1140 · Treatise
Hugh of St. Victor's "On the Sacraments of the Christian Faith" stands as the first comprehensive systematic theology of the medieval period, written between 1130 and 1140 at the Abbey of St.…
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Hugh of St. Victor · 1130–1140 · Treatise
Hugh of St. Victor's "Soliloquium de arrha animae" stands as one of the most influential treatises on mystical love written during the golden age of the Abbey of St. Victor in Paris.…
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Peter Abelard · 1132–1138 · Letter
The Letters of Abelard and Heloise comprises eight Latin epistles exchanged between the brilliant twelfth-century philosopher Peter Abelard and his former student and lover Heloise, now abbess of the Paraclete convent. The…
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Peter Abelard · 1132 · Treatise
Peter Abelard's "The Story of My Misfortunes" stands as one of the earliest and most compelling autobiographical works in Western literature, written around 1132 as a letter of consolation to an unnamed…
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Peter Abelard · 1133–1137 · Commentary
Peter Abelard wrote his commentary on Paul's letter to the Romans during the 1130s, in the midst of his turbulent career as a dialectical theologian and teacher. Following his forced monastic profession…
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William of St. Thierry · 1135 · Commentary
William of St. Thierry's exposition on Romans emerges from the rich theological ferment of twelfth-century monasticism, when Cistercian spirituality was reshaping Christian thought about the interior life. Writing around 1135, William brought…
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Peter Lombard · 1135–1138 · Commentary
Peter Lombard's commentary on the Psalms emerged from the vibrant intellectual atmosphere of twelfth-century Paris, where he taught at the cathedral school of Notre-Dame before becoming bishop. Written between 1135 and 1138,…
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William of St. Thierry · 1135–1138 · Commentary
William of St. Thierry's commentary on the Song of Songs emerged from his role as abbot of the Benedictine monastery of St. Thierry near Reims, written between 1135 and 1138 during the…
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Peter Abelard · 1135–1140 · Treatise
Peter Abelard's Ethica emerged from his mature philosophical and theological reflection during the 1130s, written while he served as abbot of Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys in Brittany. This moral treatise, also known as Scito Te…
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William of St. Thierry · 1135–1145 · Other
The Meditative Prayers emerged from William of St. Thierry's mature period as abbot and spiritual director, written between 1135 and 1145 when he had withdrawn from active leadership to pursue contemplative life…
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Bernard of Clairvaux · 1135–1153 · Sermon
Bernard of Clairvaux's Sermons on the Song of Songs represents the culmination of medieval monastic theology's approach to Scripture as a map of the soul's journey to God. Preached to his community…
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Peter Lombard · 1139–1141 · Commentary
Peter Lombard's Collectanea in Epistolas Pauli represents one of the most influential biblical commentaries of the twelfth century, composed between 1139 and 1141 during his early career as a master at the…
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Gilbert of Poitiers · 1140–1154 · Commentary
Gilbert of Poitiers composed this commentary on Boethius's brief but profound theological treatise "De Hebdomadibus" during his tenure as chancellor of Chartres and later as Bishop of Poitiers in the mid-twelfth century.…
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Gilbert of Poitiers · 1140–1154 · Commentary
Gilbert of Poitiers composed this extensive commentary on Boethius's theological treatises on the Trinity during his tenure as chancellor of the cathedral school of Chartres and later as Bishop of Poitiers. Writing…
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William of St. Thierry · 1140 · Treatise
The Disputatio adversus Petrum Abaelardum is William of St. Thierry's theological treatise attacking the doctrinal innovations of Peter Abelard, written around 1140 during the height of scholastic controversy at the University of…
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On Conversion De conversione ad clericos
Bernard of Clairvaux · 1140 · Sermon
Bernard of Clairvaux delivered this sermon to address the spiritual complacency he observed among the secular clergy of his day. Writing in 1140 during his mature period as Abbot of Clairvaux, Bernard…
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Gilbert of Poitiers · 1140–1154 · Treatise
Gilbert of Poitiers composed this theological treatise on the distinction between soul, spirit, and mind during his tenure as Bishop of Poitiers in the mid-twelfth century. Writing amid the intellectual ferment of…
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Hildegard of Bingen · 1140–1170 · Other
The Symphonia armonie celestium revelationum (Symphony of the Harmony of Celestial Revelations) is a collection of liturgical songs composed by Hildegard of Bingen over several decades in the twelfth century. As abbess…
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William of St. Thierry · 1140–1148 · Treatise
William of Saint-Thierry wrote this treatise on the nature of faith and spiritual knowledge during his final years at the hermitage of Signy, completing it between 1140 and 1148. The work emerged…
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Aelred of Rievaulx · 1142–1147 · Treatise
Aelred of Rievaulx wrote this treatise on spiritual friendship during his years as abbot of the Cistercian monastery at Rievaulx in Yorkshire, completing it between 1142 and 1147. The work emerged from…
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Aelred of Rievaulx · 1142 · Treatise
Aelred of Rievaulx composed this treatise on pastoral prayer around 1142 during his tenure as abbot of the Cistercian monastery at Rievaulx in Yorkshire. Written for his fellow abbots and monastic superiors,…
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Aelred of Rievaulx · 1142–1143 · Treatise
The Speculum Caritatis, or Mirror of Charity, is Aelred of Rievaulx's first major theological work, written between 1142 and 1143 at the request of Bernard of Clairvaux. Bernard had challenged the young…
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Aelred of Rievaulx · 1142–1167 · Book
Aelred of Rievaulx composed these spiritual treatises and his pastoral prayer during his tenure as abbot of the Cistercian monastery at Rievaulx in Yorkshire from 1147 until his death in 1167. Writing…
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William of St. Thierry · 1144–1148 · Letter
William of St. Thierry wrote this letter to the Carthusian monks of Mont-Dieu around 1144–1148, during his final years as a Cistercian monk at Signy. Having devoted himself to the contemplative life…
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