The Metaphysics of Christology: William of Ockham to Gabriel Biel

FAIN: FEL-272736-21

Richard Cross
University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN 46556-4635)

Research and writing leading to publication of a book on the theological debates about the divine and human nature of Christ from 1310 to 1500.

Various metaphysical problems arise from the theological claim that Jesus Christ was both human and divine. The proposed study will examine the ways in which these were discussed in the period from roughly 1310—the time of William of Ockham—to 1500. The book aims to fill in the years between two earlier studies of mine, which treat the discussions of these issues in the 13th and 16th centuries respectively. The period represents arguably the liveliest era of medieval scholasticism, and the topic is of great intrinsic interest for both the history of religion and the history of philosophy (as Christology was both shaped by, and shaped, Ockham’s nominalist semantics). But it also provides invaluable background to the Christological debates of the Reformation, which were heavily influenced by nominalism. The project will also cast light on the events surrounding the condemnation of Jan Hus, including a somewhat obscure proposition from his Christology, at the Council of Constance in 1415.