Abstract
Gabriel Biel (c. 1410–1495) was a theologian in Tübingen and a leader among the Brethren of Common Life. He was the most widely known representative of the late medieval via moderna, which was much influenced by fourteenth century thought. He was the first professor of theology to teach via moderna at the University of Tübingen, and he also had a remarkable influence on the Brethren of Common Life. Biel studied in Heidelberg, Erfurt, and Cologne. After graduation, he was a cathedral preacher in Mainz and joined the Brethren of Common Life before receiving a professorship of theology in Tübingen. Biel’s main works consist of a commentary on the mass, Canonis missae expositio, and a Sentences commentary, Collectorium in quattuor libros Sententiarum. Both in philosophy and in theology, Biel was a close but not unoriginal follower of William of Ockham. Biel’s Sentences commentary is formally an abridgement of Ockham’s commentaries, but several other authorities, including Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, John Duns Scotus, Gregory of Rimini, Peter of Ailly, and John Gerson are cited extensively. In metaphysical and epistemological views, Biel closely followed Ockham, adopting his criticism of intelligible and sensory species, but rejecting his notion of multiplicity of substantial forms. Biel’s ethics was mostly inspired by Ockham, but also by Scotus and Gregory of Rimini.
Bibliography
Primary Sources
Biel Gabriel (1510) Sermones. Hagenau (urn:nbn:de:bvb:12-bsb00007734-3)
Biel Gabriel (1968) Defensorium obedientiae apostolicae, ed. and trans. Oberman HA, Zerfoss DE, Courtenay WJ. Harvard University Press, Cambridge
Biel Gabriel (1963–1976) Canonis missae expositio, ed. Oberman HA, Courtenay WJ. Franz Steiner, Wiesbaden
Biel Gabriel (1973–1992) Collectorium circa quattuor libros Sententiarum, ed. Werbeck W, Hofmann U. Mohr, Tübingen
Biel Gabriel (s.a.) Tractatus de potestate et utilitate monetarum. Oppenheim (urn:nbn:de:bvb:12-bsb00005927-1)
Secondary Sources
Burkard FJ (1974) Philosophische Lehrgehalte in Gabriel Biels Sentenzenkommentar unter besonderer Berücksichtigung seiner Erkenntnislehre. Anton Hain, Meisenheim am Glan
Ernst W (1972) Gott und Mensch am Vorabend der Reformation St. Benno, Leipzig
Grane L (1962) Contra Gabrielem: Luthers Auseinandersetzung mit Gabriel Biel in der Disputatio contra scholasticam theologiam 1517. Gyldendal, København
Oberman HA (1983) Harvest of medieval theology: Gabriel Biel and late medieval nominalism, 3rd edn. Labyrinth, Durham
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Kärkkäinen, P. (2011). Gabriel Biel. In: Lagerlund, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Medieval Philosophy. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9729-4_177
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9729-4_177
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