Nicolas Ysambert

Nicolas Ysambert (1565 or 1569—May 14, 1642) was a French, Roman Catholic theologian, and lifelong teacher at the Sorbonne.

Life

Born at Orléans, Ysambert studied theology at the Sorbonne and was made a fellow (socius) of the college in 1598. Thenceforth he professed theology with such success as to attract public attention.

In 1616, King Louis XIII created a new chair of theology at the Sorbonne for the study of the controversial questions between Catholics and Protestants. Louis appointed Ysambert to this chair, praising him effusively in the letter appointing him.

Throughout his teaching career, Ysambert drew heavily on the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas. He became well-known as a teacher.

In the councils of the theological faculty he was chiefly distinguished for his share in the censure directed against Marc Antonio de Dominis, the apostate Archbishop of Spalatro, and author of De republica christiana, against ecclesiastical hierarchy; he was the first to point out the heretical doctrine to the faculty and he brought about its condemnation. When Edmond Richer laboured to revive in the theological faculty a somewhat modified Gallicanism, Ysambert with the theologian Duval became the zealous defender of the rights of the Holy See. To learning Ysambert joined great strictness of life, solidity of judgment, and a precision and sense of justice much appreciated in the decision of cases of conscience.

He died at Paris.

Works

He began publishing his Disputationes, or commentaries on the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas, but it was not completed during his life (Paris, 1638–48).

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Nicolas Ysambert". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.