Amalric of Bène
AMALRIC OF BÈNE
Theologian, with pantheistic and materialistic inclinations; b. Bène, near Chartres, mid–12th century; d. Paris, c. 1206. He was also known as Amaury, and was a student and later teacher of theology at Paris. He showed the influence of the school of chartres and derived his idea partially from misinterpreted writings of john scotus erigena, but especially from aristotle. Amalric was called to Rome by innocent iii who censured his theories. Amalric retracted them upon his return to Paris. Although he left no writings, he attracted a number of disciples called amalricians, whose writings indicate that basically Amalric identified God with the universe. In 1210 his body was exhumed and, by order of a council of Paris, was reburied in unconsecrated ground.
Bibliography: f. g. hahn, Über Amalrich von Bena und David von Dinant (Villach, Austria 1882). g. c. capelle, Amaury de Bène (Paris 1932). f. vernet, Dictionnaire de spiritualité ascétique et mystique. Doctrine et histoire, ed. m. viller et al. (Paris 1932—) 1:422–425.
[b. chudoba]