Berengar of Tours
Biographical Details:
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Biography:
Berengar of Tours was a medieval theologian and scholar born around 999 in the Loire Valley of France. He studied at Chartres and later became the head of the cathedral school in Tours, where he gained a reputation for intellectual rigor and eloquence. Berengar is best known for his controversial views on the Eucharist, which challenged the prevailing doctrine of transubstantiation. He argued that the bread and wine in the sacrament were symbols of Christ’s body and blood, though his position evolved over time. His teachings sparked intense theological debate and led to condemnation at several Church councils, including those at Rome, Vercelli, and Tours. Despite being excommunicated and pressured to recant multiple times, Berengar remained a significant figure in the intellectual life of the 11th century. His eventual submission to the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist is documented in his letters to Pope Gregory VII and others. Berengar’s legacy is marked by his efforts to reconcile faith and reason, as well as his influence on subsequent theological discourse. He died in isolation around 1088 on the island of Saint-Cosme near Tours, leaving behind a complex legacy as both a heretic and a faithful theologian.
Quotes and Excerpts:
On the Eucharist
“I profess that the bread and wine which are placed on the altar are, after consecration, not only a sacrament but also the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.” –Letter to Pope Gregory VII, AD 1079; Migne, Patrologia Latina, Volume 149, Col. 514.
“I acknowledge the mystery of the sacrament of the altar to be the Body and Blood of Christ, truly taken by the faithful, not only in the sacrament but in truth.”- Letter to Adelmann of Liège, AD 1059; Migne, Patrologia Latina, Volume 145, Col. 50-52.
“I believe with all my heart in the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, not through destruction but by the consecration of the divine Word.” –Confession of Faith, AD 1079; Migne, Patrologia Latina, Volume 149, Col. 513.
“The same Body of Christ that was born of the Virgin, suffered, and rose again is truly present in the sacrament of the altar.”- Letter to Hugh of Langres, AD 1051; Migne, Patrologia Latina, Volume 145, Col. 43.
“I firmly believe in the faith of the Holy Roman Church, in which the mystery of Christ’s Body and Blood is venerated, and I submit myself to its judgment.” –Letter to Pope Gregory VII, AD 1079; Migne, Patrologia Latina, Volume 149, Col. 516.