Eldest son of a minor noble of Brittany. Gave up inheritance rights to younger brothers, roamed France to sit at the feet of the great masters. Lectured in Paris. Wrote Sic et Non. A couple quotes:

"By doubting we come to inquiry, and by inquiry we arrive at the truth."

"Faith has no merit with God when it is not the testimony of divine authority that leads us to it, but the evidence of human reason."

At the age of 36, Abelard was a leading intellectual in Paris when he began an illicit love affair with one of his students, 17-year-old Heloise. The affair produced a child, Astrolabe. Heloise refused to marry Peter because she knew how precious his genius was and she feared their marriage would hinder his career. Subsequently, Heloise entered a convent but her uncle accused Abelard of denying his responsiblity. Heloise’s uncle hired men who attacked Abelard and castrated him.

Abelard ’s love for Heloise was evidenced in their many subsequent correspondences which lasted for many years.

Abelard was condemned by a church council at Soissons in 1121, and again at a church council at Sens in 1140 for heresy. He finally retired to the abbey of Cluny where he died two years later. His writings later influenced such theologians as Thomas Aquinas and Martin Luther. (Also cf. Linder, et al.: Eerdmans Handbook to the History of Christianity, Eerdmans Publishing. Co., Grand Rapids, MI, 1985.)

[Significant contributions to this entry provided by Michael Switzer (mswitzer (at) netins.net)]

While the Independents and the Dissenting Brethren of Westminster were effective in developing and spreading a new tolerant attitude toward other faith-groups with their new denominational theory, this view of the church found only limited acceptance in England, where the Church of England still retained a favored position, even after the Act of Toleration in 1689 recognized the rights of Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists and Quakers to worship freely.

Lutheran warrior, King of Sweden. He entered Germany as the new leader of the Protestant cause. A series of victories carried him south as far as Munich. The "Lion of the north" died at the Battle of Lutzen in 1632, southwest of Leipzig, although his Swedish army won the battle.