Situated on the bank of the Seine, the Victorines followed the rule of St Augustine, upholding the monastic ideal of a contemplative life dedicated to study. It was here, in the second half of the twelfth century, that Richard of St Victor wrote one of the most significant medieval works on the dogma of the Trinity, De Trinitate, printed here in English for the first time. Studies of Richard's theology are few in number, yet his model of the central – and arguably most contentious – doctrine of Christianity was influential up until the end of the sixteenth century and widely sought after by religious houses. Following Augustine's own treatise on the trinity, De Trinitate explores the mediating concepts on which to base faith, founded on personal experience. Comprising six books, each of twenty-five chapters, Richard develops a model to account for the three components of the Trinity, using a typical blend of reason and spirituality.
Ruben Angelici provides a translation faithful to the original intent and style of the medieval author, alongside a rich and informative commentary that sets Richard's writings in their historical and theological context. This edition affords fascinating insight into the Augustinian-Anselmian position of the Victorines and the dogmatics of one of the most important medieval theologians.