A sentence is a grammatical unit in language consisting of one or more words that conveys a complete thought, typically structured with a subject identifying an entity and a predicate describing an action or state about it.[1][2] In linguistics, this structure forms the basis of syntax across languages, where the subject is often a noun phrase (NP) and the predicate a verb phrase (VP), enabling expressions that point to concepts while predicating properties or relations.[2] Sentences serve as the primary vehicles for communication, organizing words into meaningful units that can function independently.[3]Sentences are classified by structure into four main types: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. A simple sentence contains one independent clause, expressing a single complete idea, such as "Johnny rode his bike to school."[3] A compound sentence joins two or more independent clauses with coordinating conjunctions like "and" or "but," as in "She wanted to go on vacation, so she saved up her money."[3]Complex sentences include one independent clause and at least one dependent clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction, for example, "She went to class even though she was sick."[3] Finally, a compound-complex sentence combines multiple independent clauses with dependent ones, like "Although she felt guilty, she took her out to dinner, and they had a great time."[3] These structural variations allow for varying complexity in expressing ideas, with writers selecting types based on the need for clarity, elaboration, or connection of concepts.[3]In addition to structure, sentences are categorized by function into declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory types, each with distinct purposes and punctuation. Declarative sentences make statements to convey information and end with a period, such as "Larry ate chocolate ice cream covered with almonds."[4]Interrogative sentences ask questions to seek information and end with a question mark, for instance, "Can I go to Jamaica this summer?"[4]Imperative sentences issue commands or requests to direct action and typically end with a period or exclamation mark, like "Go to school."[4]Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions and end with an exclamation point, as in "That is an unusual color!"[4] This functional classification highlights how sentences adapt to communicative needs, from informing and inquiring to commanding and emoting, forming the core of effective discourse in English and other languages.[4]
Historical Context
Development of Theological Texts
The development of theological texts in the medieval West began with patristic glosses on Scripture, which provided interpretive notes drawn from Church Fathers to elucidate biblical passages. These glosses, originating in the early Christian era, evolved into more structured compilations by the 11th and 12th centuries, serving as foundational tools for theological education. A key example is the work of Anselm of Laon (d. 1117), whose school at the Cathedral of Laon produced glosses that synthesized patristic authorities such as Augustine, Jerome, and Cassiodorus, often recorded from his lectures by students like Gilbert of Poitiers.[5] Anselm's Parva glosatura, dating to around 1095–1100, represented an early sentence-based format that organized excerpts into marginal and interlinear annotations, influencing the broader tradition of scriptural commentary.[5]This tradition culminated in the Glossa Ordinaria, a comprehensive biblical commentary compiled between approximately 1100 and 1130, primarily under the impetus of Anselm's school. The Glossa integrated patristic glosses with Carolingian sources, such as those from Remigius of Auxerre, into a standardized apparatus that covered the entire Bible, with earliest manuscripts appearing in the 1120s–1130s.[6] Works like Anselm's Glosae super Iohannem on the Gospel of John exemplify this evolution, transforming loose patristic interpretations into cohesive sentence collections that facilitated classroom discussion and theological synthesis.[6] By the mid-12th century, manuscripts such as Troyes, Bibliothèque municipale 511 (dated 1145) preserved these developments, marking the Glossa as a pivotal resource for later theologians.[5]Byzantine influences also shaped these Latin compilations, particularly through John of Damascus's The Source of Knowledge (Pēgē gnōseōs), an 8th-century synthesis of Christian doctrine and philosophy that structured theology systematically. This text, including its dialectical exposition of orthodoxy in De Fide Orthodoxa, was adapted into Latin via Burgundio of Pisa's translation around 1153–1154, commissioned by Pope Eugenius III, making Eastern patristic thought accessible to Western scholars.[7] The translation bridged earlier Greek traditions with Latin sentence collections, providing authoritative excerpts on topics like the Trinity and sacraments that informed 12th-century compendia.[7]In the early 12th century, theological writing shifted from pure biblical exegesis to systematic compendia, prioritizing the dialectical method—rooted in Aristotelian logic and Boethius's translations—to resolve doctrinal questions through reasoned argumentation rather than solely scriptural citation. This transition, evident in works like Hugh of St. Victor's Didascalicon (c. 1127), emphasized organized treatises (sententiae and summae) that compiled authorities into thematic frameworks, moving beyond the Glossa's marginal notes.[8] Figures such as Anselm of Laon and his successors at Laon and Paris schools pioneered this approach, integrating dialectic to analyze texts like the Psalms and Pauline Epistles, setting the stage for later syntheses.[9] Peter Lombard later built on these foundations by compiling such traditions into a unified format.[8]
Scholasticism in 12th-Century Paris
In the early twelfth century, Paris emerged as the preeminent center of intellectual activity in northern Europe, surpassing earlier hubs like Reims and Laon, with its cathedral schools fostering the development of scholasticism through rigorous dialectical methods and systematic theological inquiry.[10] The Cathedral School of Notre Dame, in particular, became a leading institution under the patronage of the archbishopric, attracting scholars and students from across the continent and evolving into a model for the emerging university structure by the mid-century.[11] Peter Lombard arrived in Paris around 1136, studied under Hugh of St. Victor, and by the early 1140s had joined the faculty at Notre Dame, teaching theology and contributing to the school's reputation as a forge for orthodox doctrinal synthesis amid growing institutional rivalries with nearby centers like Saint-Victor and Sainte-Geneviève.[11][10][12]Two pivotal figures shaped this scholastic milieu: Peter Abelard, renowned for pioneering the dialectical approach to theology that integrated logic with scriptural exegesis, and Hugh of St. Victor, whose Victorine school emphasized mystical contemplation alongside scriptural analysis, influencing the balance between rational inquiry and spiritual depth in systematic theology.[13] Abelard's tenure at Notre Dame in the 1110s introduced innovative disputational techniques that encouraged critical engagement with authorities, while Hugh's work at the Abbey of Saint-Victor, founded in 1111, promoted a holistic theological framework drawing on patristic sources.[10][13]Lombard himself had studied under Hugh, absorbing these Victorine emphases on contemplative exegesis before applying them in his Parisian lectures.[11]Parallel to these developments, the sententiae genre arose as a vital pedagogical tool in the nascent universities, compiling authoritative excerpts—or "sentences"—from Church Fathers and Scripture into thematic compilations designed to facilitate classroom disputations and doctrinal clarification.[14] This format, well-suited to the oral and interactive nature of scholastic teaching, allowed masters to present balanced views on theological questions, prompting students to resolve apparent contradictions through reasoned debate, and it gained traction precisely as Paris's schools formalized into Europe's first theological faculties around the 1150s.[11][14]
Author and Composition
Peter Lombard's Background
Peter Lombard, also known as Petrus Lombardus, was born circa 1096 in the region of Novara in Lombardy, northern Italy, to a family of modest means.[15] Little is documented about his early life, but he pursued initial studies in Bologna, a leading center for legal and humanistic learning, before traveling to France around 1130. There, he continued his education at Reims, renowned for its theological instruction under masters like Alberic of Reims, and subsequently at Paris, where he immersed himself in the vibrant intellectual milieu of the cathedral schools.[16]Upon arriving in Paris, Lombard joined the school of Notre-Dame, becoming a prominent teacher of theology by the early 1140s. His lectures emphasized scriptural exegesis and patristic authorities, earning him recognition as a "celebrated theologian" by 1144. He was appointed archdeacon of the Notre-Dame chapter by 1156—a position that involved administrative duties alongside his scholarly pursuits.[17] In 1159, following the death of Bishop Theobald, the canons of Notre-Dame elected him to the episcopal see of Paris, where he was consecrated amid support from both Pope Alexander III and King Louis VII of France; he served in this role until his death on July 21 or 22, 1160.[18]Lombard's intellectual formation was profoundly shaped by his exposure to Augustinian theology, particularly through the Victorine school at the Abbey of Saint-Victor in Paris, where he likely studied under Hugh of Saint-Victor. This environment fostered a commitment to orthodox doctrine grounded in Augustine's writings on grace, the Trinity, and sacraments, while incorporating dialectical methods to resolve theological controversies without straying into heresy.[19] His balanced approach—orthodox in fidelity to tradition yet methodical in analysis—reflected the tensions of 12th-century scholasticism and motivated his efforts to systematize Christian teaching during his tenure as a master at Notre-Dame.[15]
Writing and Revision Phases
The Sentences originated as a compilation derived from Peter Lombard's lectures at the cathedral school of Notre-Dame in Paris, with initial gathering of material from his teaching notes and glosses on Scripture occurring circa 1148–1150.[20] This early phase built upon his ongoing scholastic instruction, incorporating excerpts from patristic and earlier medieval texts to form a systematic theological framework.[21] By the academic year 1156–1157, Lombard had developed a first cohesive version of the text, which he used directly in his classroom readings.[22]A revised edition followed in 1157–1158, marking the second iteration and reflecting refinements from additional lectures, including adjustments to organization and content for clarity and doctrinal precision.[21] Ignatius Brady's critical edition identifies this as part of at least three evolving versions of the Liber Sententiarum, with the 1158 revision establishing the form that gained rapid acceptance.[23] These phases demonstrate Lombard's iterative approach, adapting the work amid his teaching duties until his appointment as bishop in 1159.[24]The composition relied extensively on authoritative sources, with Augustine cited over 1,000 times as the primary influence, providing foundational arguments on topics from the Trinity to grace. Lombard also drew substantially from Jerome and Ambrose for exegetical and moral insights, integrating their commentaries to support key distinctions throughout the text.[25] In the sections on eschatology, particular attention was given to Julian of Toledo's Prognosticum futuri saeculi, which informed discussions of the afterlife and final judgment in Book IV.[17]Manuscript evidence underscores the dynamic revision process, with nearly 900 extant copies attesting to the work's immediate influence and textual fluidity.[26] Variations across these manuscripts—such as differences in distinctions, rubrics, and inclusions—indicate continued authorial or scribal adjustments even after 1158, likely during Lombard's final years.[20] No autograph manuscript survives, though twelfth-century witnesses, numbering around 19, preserve the earliest transmissions and reveal the transition from three-book lecture formats to the finalized four-book structure.[27]
Structure and Contents
Organizational Framework
The Sentences of Peter Lombard is structured as a systematic theological compendium divided into four books, each addressing a central aspect of Christian doctrine. Book One examines the mystery of the Trinity and the attributes of God, including divine essence, unity, and the relations among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Book Two covers creation, encompassing the formation of spiritual beings such as angels, the material universe, humanity's origin, the fall, grace, and predestination. Book Three focuses on the Incarnation of the Word, Christ's redemptive work, the virtues, vices, and moral precepts. Book Four treats the sacraments as visible signs of grace, along with eschatological themes including the resurrection, judgment, and eternal destinies.[28][29]Within these books, the text is organized into distinctions, which serve as thematic divisions grouping related chapters on specific topics. Book One comprises 48 distinctions, Book Two 44, Book Three 40, and Book Four 50, providing a modular framework that totals approximately 182 distinctions across the work. This subdivision into distinctions, while rooted in Lombard's original chapter-based arrangement, was formalized and refined in the 1220s by Alexander of Hales, who consolidated the chapters into these larger, more cohesive units to enhance clarity and pedagogical utility.[30][31][29]The organizational format consists of curated "sentences"—authoritative excerpts drawn predominantly from patristic sources like Augustine of Hippo, Ambrose, and Jerome, as well as Scripture and earlier medieval authors—arranged logically within each distinction, followed by Lombard's succinct commentaries that reconcile discrepancies, pose questions, and offer resolutions. This method of compilation and glossing emphasized dialectical synthesis over original speculation, drawing on over 1,700 citations from ecclesiastical authorities to establish a balanced exposition of orthodoxy. This structure proved foundational for scholastic theology, enabling generations of commentators to engage with and debate its divisions in their own works.
Core Theological Doctrines
Book I of Peter Lombard's Sentences primarily addresses the doctrine of the Trinity, synthesizing patristic authorities to affirm one divine essence subsisting in three coequal Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Drawing extensively on Augustine's De Trinitate, Lombard explores the unity of God while distinguishing the Persons through their relations of origin. The Father is unbegotten, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from both as the bond of love, emphasizing that these processions do not imply inequality or temporal sequence but eternal relations within the divine substance.[32][33]Lombard structures this doctrine across distinctions that examine scriptural foundations, such as allusions to the Trinity in the Old Testament, and philosophical analogies like the image of the Trinity in the human soul—memory, understanding, and will—as a vestige of divine processions. He rejects any subordinationism, insisting that the Persons share the same essence without division, and addresses potential heresies by clarifying that relations (paternity, filiation, spiration) constitute the real distinctions among the Persons without compromising unity. This synthesis positions the Trinity as the foundational mystery of faith, accessible through revelation rather than pure reason.[32][34]Book II focuses on creation and the human condition, beginning with the doctrine of creation ex nihilo, where God alone brings all things into existence from nothing, without preexistent matter, as the sovereign act of divine will. Lombard affirms that angels and corporeal beings were formed simultaneously in their substance but hierarchically ordered, drawing on Genesis and patristic exegesis to underscore God's omnipotence. The fall of the angels follows, portraying their rebellion—led by Lucifer—due to pride, resulting in their irrevocable damnation, while good angels remain confirmed in grace.[35][36]Central to Book II is the treatment of original sin, transmitted through generation from Adam to all humanity as a privation of original justice and an inclination to evil (fomes peccati), which corrupts the soul and subjects it to death and concupiscence. Lombard emphasizes human free will as the capacity to choose good or evil, preserved even after the fall but weakened, requiring divine grace for restoration. Grace operates preveniently to enable merit, cooperating with free will in justification, thus balancing divine initiative and human responsibility without Pelagian overtones.[35][36]Book III examines the Incarnation as the divine Word assuming human nature in the hypostatic union, where Christ possesses two natures—divine and human—in one person, without confusion or separation, to effect humanity's redemption. Lombard details how Christ's passion, death, and resurrection satisfy divine justice for sin, offering superabundant merit that restores fallen humanity through his obedience. The book also covers virtues (faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance) as infused habits oriented toward God, contrasted with vices as disordered loves leading to spiritual death.[17][37]A notable position in Book III concerns Christ's merit, where Lombard holds that Christ merited eternal glory for himself through his human obedience, alongside merit for humanity's salvation, a view that sparked later Christological debates over whether divine personhood precludes such merit. This underscores redemption as participatory, with Christ's life exemplifying the path to beatitude via infused virtues.[38][17]Book IV treats the sacraments as visible signs instituted by Christ to confer invisible grace, numbering seven—baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, orders, and marriage—each effecting what they signify through divine power. Baptism remits original and actual sins, incorporating the recipient into the Church via water and the Trinitarian formula, with its necessity for salvation affirmed but extraordinary cases (e.g., desire) allowing for grace. The Eucharist, under the appearance of bread and wine, truly contains Christ's body and blood, conveying spiritual nourishment and unity with the mystical body, beyond mere symbolism.[27][39]The book concludes with eschatology, detailing the resurrection of the body, final judgment, and eternal destinies: the blessed enjoy the beatific vision in eternal life, while the damned suffer unending punishment in hell, with purgatory providing purifying fire for venial sins before heaven. Lombard synthesizes these doctrines to portray sacraments as bridges to eschatological fulfillment, emphasizing hope in resurrection and divine mercy.[27][39]
Reception and Legacy
Early Adoption and Criticisms
Upon its completion around 1150, Peter Lombard's Sentences faced initial scrutiny for its Christological positions, particularly in Book III, where the author presented various patristic opinions on the nature of Christ's humanity. In 1170, Pope Alexander III issued a condemnation via a letter to the Archbishop of Sens, denouncing a proposition attributed to Lombard that suggested Christ's human nature was "not a something" (non est aliquid), interpreting it as promoting Christological nihilism—the erroneous view that Christ's humanity lacked independent subsistence and was absorbed into the divine essence.[40][41] This critique echoed broader concerns about potential Abelardian influences in Lombard's dialectical method, with contemporary figures like Walter of St. Victor and John of Cornwall accusing the text of heterodoxy in its handling of divine and human natures.[41]Despite the papal condemnation, the Sentences quickly gained traction in academic circles, as evidenced by early glosses and adaptations that clarified or defended its orthodoxy. Modern scholarship, notably Marcia Colish's analysis, refutes the nihilism charge, arguing that Lombard's formulation aligned with established patristic views and did not deny the distinct reality of Christ's human nature.[41] The turning point came at the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215, which explicitly endorsed Lombard's Trinitarian doctrine against the critiques of Joachim of Fiore, declaring the Sentences compatible with Catholic teaching and facilitating its integration into theological instruction. This conciliar approval, amid efforts to standardize clerical education, propelled the text's adoption as a core curriculum element in emerging universities like Paris, where it supplanted earlier manuals and became the obligatory basis for advanced theology lectures by the early 13th century.[42]The Sentences' academic ascent was marked by prompt commentaries that adapted its structure for pedagogical use, underscoring its role in scholastic disputation. Around 1170, Peter of Poitiers, Lombard's former pupil and chancellor of Paris, produced one of the earliest full commentaries, organizing the text into distinctions and questions to facilitate classroom analysis of doctrines like the Incarnation and sacraments.[43] Similarly, Praepositinus of Cremona, active in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, authored a Summa theologica that glossed and expanded Lombard's distinctions, emphasizing logical resolution of theological ambiguities for lecture purposes and influencing subsequent Parisian teaching practices.[44] These works not only disseminated the Sentences but also established its format as the model for medieval theological inquiry.
Long-Term Influence on Theology
The Sentences of Peter Lombard served as the standard theological textbook in European universities from the late 12th century until the 16th century, forming the basis for academic instruction and disputation in theology.[45] This enduring role stemmed from its systematic compilation of patristic authorities, which provided a framework for addressing core doctrines, and it inspired over 200 extant commentaries by major scholastic thinkers.[46] Among these, Thomas Aquinas's Scriptum super Sententiis (1252–1256) offered a detailed exposition that integrated Aristotelian philosophy with Lombard's text, influencing subsequent developments in metaphysical theology. Similarly, Bonaventure's commentary (1250–1252) emphasized the affective and mystical dimensions of Lombard's doctrines, particularly in the treatment of creation and grace, shaping Franciscan theological traditions.[47]The Sentences extended its reach into the Reformation era, impacting Protestant reformers despite their critiques of scholasticism. Martin Luther delivered lectures on the Sentences at the University of Erfurt from 1509 to 1511, using marginal notes to engage Lombard's views on justification and sacraments, which later informed his break from medieval merit-based soteriology.[48]John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, frequently cited and critiqued Lombard—quoting him over 40 times—particularly on the merits of works and the sacraments, adapting elements of the Sentences to emphasize sola fide while rejecting perceived semi-Pelagian tendencies.[49]Although gradually eclipsed in the late medieval and early modern periods by Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologica (1265–1274), which offered a more comprehensive and question-based structure deemed superior for systematic theology, the Sentences retained significant residual influence on specific doctrines.[50] Lombard's treatment of sacraments in Book IV, defining them as both signs and causes of grace, provided foundational categories that persisted in Catholic and Protestant sacramental theology, even as the Summa became the preferred text.[27] Likewise, his exposition of the Trinity in Book I, drawing on Augustine and drawing distinctions between divine processions and relations, continued to inform Trinitarian discourse, influencing later formulations in councils and confessions.[17]
Editions and Modern Scholarship
Historical Printings
The first printed edition of Peter Lombard's Sentences appeared in 1472, initiating a series of incunabula that rapidly spread the text throughout Europe via the emerging print medium. One notable early printing occurred in Lyon in 1481, exemplifying the quick proliferation of the work in academic centers; this edition, like others of the era, facilitated its use as a core theological textbook in universities and seminaries. These incunabula editions were instrumental in standardizing the text's transmission, with over a dozen known printings before 1501 alone.[40][12]A pivotal reference for later scholarship emerged in the 19th century with Jacques-Paul Migne's inclusion of the Sentences in volume 192 of his Patrologia Latina (1855), which drew on medieval manuscripts and early prints to provide a comprehensive Latin edition widely used for historical study. This compilation preserved the original structure and content amid evolving textual criticism.[12]In the 16th century, scholars produced annotated editions that incorporated glosses and commentaries, enhancing interpretive depth; for instance, the 1510 Lyon printing featured supplementary notes reflecting contemporary scholastic debates. Johann Eck, a prominent theologian, contributed to this tradition through his own engagements with the Sentences, reflecting broader efforts to adapt the text for ongoing theological discourse. These editions maintained the work's relevance in Catholic education.[51][52]Amid the theological upheavals of the Reformation, printed versions of the Sentences played a key role in its preservation within Catholic strongholds, ensuring continuity of scholastic tradition despite Protestant critiques of medieval theology. Universities like those in Louvain and Paris continued to rely on these prints for instruction, safeguarding the text against doctrinal shifts.[53]
Contemporary Translations and Analyses
The first complete English translation of Peter Lombard's Sentences was produced by Giulio Silano in a four-volume set published by the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, spanning 2007 to 2010: Book 1 (The Mystery of the Trinity) in 2007, Book 2 (On Creation) in 2008, Book 3 (On the Incarnation of the Word) in 2008, and Book 4 (On the Doctrine of Signs) in 2010.[54][28][55][29] This scholarly translation, based on the critical edition by Ignatius C. Brady, provides accurate renderings of the Latin text alongside extensive introductions and notes, making the work accessible to modern readers for the first time in full. Prior to Silano's effort, English versions were limited to partial translations, such as selections from specific distinctions in academic compilations or older, incomplete renderings like those of Book 2 based on the 1885 Quaracchi edition.[56][35]The definitive critical edition of the Sentences remains that edited by Ignatius C. Brady, O.F.M., published in two volumes by the Spicilegium Bonaventurianum (Grottaferrata, 1971–1981), which collates over a dozen manuscripts to establish a reliable text.[57] Ongoing scholarly projects, such as the Mediaeval Commentaries on the Sentences of Peter Lombard series (initiated in 2002 by Brill and continuing with multiple volumes), focus on editing and analyzing the vast corpus of medieval commentaries on Lombard's work, addressing textual variants and interpretive traditions.[58]Digital resources have enhanced access, with manuscripts of the Sentences available through the Vatican Apostolic Library's DigiVatLib portal, which includes high-resolution scans of key codices like Vat. lat. 959 and others holding early versions. These tools facilitate comparative studies but highlight gaps, such as the need for more comprehensive digital editions integrating commentaries.Recent scholarship has reevaluated Lombard's theological method, emphasizing its deep roots in Augustinianism over earlier portrayals of the Sentences as innovative. Philipp W. Rosemann's 2004 monograph Peter Lombard underscores how the text functions as a compilation of patristic authorities—primarily Augustine, but also Ambrose, Jerome, and Gregory the Great—arranged to resolve dialectical tensions, rather than introducing novel doctrines.[59] This view critiques outdated assessments that overstated Lombard's originality, repositioning the work as a pivotal synthesizer in scholastic theology. Emerging analyses explore potential non-Latin influences through Lombard's indirect engagement with Greek patristic sources via Latin translations, alongside its 21st-century relevance for ecumenical dialogue, where its balanced treatment of sacraments and grace informs interdenominational discussions, though comprehensive studies on these fronts remain limited.[41]