A Brilliant Book On Medieval Thought Applicable for Today

Shogimen’s book on Ockham and Political Discourse is a highly readable and exceptionally insightful discussion of Ockham’s view of political theory applicable not only to the Late Middle Ages but also to the current time. There have been a group of writers who have analyzed Ockham and his thought over the past century and Shogimen provides a new overview of his thought. It is logically presented and addresses not only Ockham’s rejection of papal power over men’s day to day lives but presents an excellent discussion of Ockham’s views on individualism and constitutionalism. In a sense, Ockham in the readings of Shogimen is less a medieval political theorist and more the first contemporary examiner of republican structures.

Shogimen begins with a chapter examining others before him who have written on Ockham. From the brothers Carlyle through McGrade he provides an even handed summary of these other thinkers. This is an essential discussion for anyone studying Ockham. There are many views as to his thought and the true challenge is; how does one in the 21^st century understand the mind of a person in the 14^th century. That is always a hermeneutic challenge, the challenge to understand not only the use of words and ideas but also the motivation behind them. In Ockham’s case the conflict with the Avignon Papacy and John XXII on the poverty led him to examine the heresy of the Avignon pope and then to examine the very powers exercised by the papacy as an institution. Having done this Ockham is drawn into examining political structure broadly.

Chapter 1 deals with the poverty issue which drew the attention of Ockham. The Franciscans were being attacked for their position on the poverty of Christ and in turn the belief that poverty is an essential element of Christianity. In turn John XXII attacked the Franciscans and it was this that drew Ockham to Avignon.

On p 39 the author quotes John XXII retort:

“Poverty is great but integrity is greater. Yet obedience is the greatest good.”

In a sense it is this papal mandate to obey, not believe, not charity, not poverty, not even integrity, but pure abject blind faith obedience. The papacy speaks and all obey, a holdover from the Roman Empire days, albeit the papacy no longer a Bishop of Rome, but a resident of Avignon.

On p. 42 is a simple but well phrased summary of Ockham’s argument. Namely if as Pope Nicholas’ III statement accepting poverty were true, then John XXII is in heresy, if however it were not true than Nicholas was in heresy and had no true successor and there John XXII was in error. Either way the John XXII statement is false based upon heresy.

On p 57 the discussion of the Judas purse issue is well worth reading, it is clear and adds substantial light on counter arguments.

Chapter 2 is a discussion of heresy as examined by Ockham. On pp 81-83 is an excellent elucidation of the Ockham theory of heresy. Fundamentally heresy is deliberate and unrepentant articulation of beliefs contradicted by Scripture. It is not a result of papal interpretation but a conciliar interpretation as the early Councils of the Church had accomplished.

Chapter 3 is a discussion on papal heresy. This is a discussion of Ockham’s elements of how the pope may commit heresy.

Chapter 4 is on papal power. Here we have a good discussion on papal power. Simply, for Ockham the papacy is not a power over men’s lives but their spiritual well-being. Moreover he believes that the papacy as in Avignon has over extended itself in its control of the lives of people in dimensions where it has not authority, power or even knowledge.

Chapter 5 is on papal primacy. On pp 210-213 there is a discussion of the limits of papal primacy. Moreover on pp 226-230 there is a compelling discussion that basically argues; Scripture assigned primacy to Peter and since there is no mention of subsequent assignment then papal primacy is vacuous. Moreover the conciliar process has more merit as a successor to Petrine primacy than does papal primacy. It is interesting to ask why these arguments were not used as strongly during the Reformation period.

Chapter 6 is worth reading through multiple times. It discusses Ockham’s view of human freedom and more importantly his view of individualism. On p 234 is an excellent discussion of individualism as self-autonomy. Such a concept one might have thought rare if not impossible during a time of evolving kingdoms and strong papal powers. However as suggested on p 239 it was the very interaction on papal power and authority that led Ockham there. Namely he saw that the spiritual and temporal should stay in their assigned quarters, and this left each individual responsible for their own lives.

Shogimen has written a timely and insightful book that has interest that well exceeds the corners of Late Middle Age political thought and philosophy. His analysis is worth examining in today’s world as well see in many areas the confluence of religion on temporal lives.