John Major

John Major

Mathematics,Natural Philosophy,Philosophy

Profession: Historian Philosopher Theologian (Professional) Role in St Andrews: Lecturer in arts and theology, assessor to the dean of the arts faculty Provost of St Salvator’s College 1534-1550 Dean of the faculty of theology Years in St Andrews: 1523-1525 1531-1550

history

1467

Francesco Alessandrini Lupia

Organisation

199

John Mair

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Major_(philosopher)

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Q579194

D.O.B: c. 1467 D.O.D: 1550 Family origins: Farming family Education: Grammar school at Haddington University (probably Cambridge, which is exceptional for a Scot!) Collège de Ste Barbe, Paris Theology under Jan Standonck at Collège de Montaigu Doctorate in theology in Navarre

Involved in which fields of scholarship? Theology, Philosophy, Historiography Most famous contribution(s) to scholarship /inventions/… 1 (i.e. in theology): Although conservative (taught at conservative Sorbonne, Paris), not tolerating translations of New testament from Greek, severely criticised behaviour of chruch and chruchmen Commentary on gospels, In quatuor evangelia expositiones (1529): attacks plural holdings, commendations, absenteeism, the extensive neglect of ordinary pastoral duties, and the personal laxness of many clergymen Most famous contribution(s) to scholarship/inventions/… 2 (i.e. in philosophy): Very wide fields Ethics: discussions of the appropriate treatment of the American Indians within a moral theological framework, and he went on to provide such a framework in his own In secundum sententiarum (1510) Commentary on Aristotle’s Nichomean Ethics (1530) Most famous contribution(s) to scholarship/inventions/… 2 (i.e. in historiography): History of Greater Britain, England and Scotland (Historia majoris Britanniae tam Angliae quam Scotiae (1521) Historian should tell the truth, also saying what “ought to have been done” If you want to read one thing written by him/her, it should be: History of Greater Britain, England and Scotland (Historia majoris Britanniae tam Angliae quam Scotiae (1521)

1550

Any political involvement? History of Greater Britain, England and Scotland may have been written with intention to promote reunion of the two countries Any religious involvement? Theologian Associated places in St Andrews: (e.g. home, lab, favourite spot) Hard to tell: possibly St Salvador’s chapel and Cathedral, because they already existed at the time of Mair Possible human interest story 1: It has been suggested that he also studied in St Andrews, but a passage in his commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard (In primum sententiarum, fol. 34r) makes it clear that as late as 1510 he had not been in that city. Possible human interest story 2: Many Schottish people studied in France before the establishment of the university of St Andrews, and also after this. Possible human interest story 3: Reputation very high when he left Paris in 1518: Quality of his writings Quality of his teaching Leadership of a team of scholars Possible human interest story 4: Came to St Andrews the same year as Patrick Hamilton (who later became first martyr of Scottish Reformation), but made clear that he was opposed to his “heretical views”. Possible human interest story 5: The reasons for Mair’s return to Scotland in 1531 are unknown, but perhaps he was simply homesick. He wrote: 'Our native soil attracts us with a secret and inexpressible sweetness and does not permit us to forget it'. Connected to other people in St Andrews or elsewhere?: Girolamo Aleandro Patrick Hamilton George Lokert, pupil John Knox: pupil in St Andrews Awards/Honours: Dean of the faculty of theology Any eye-witness testimony/stories: Juan Gomez, writing to Jerome de Canbanyelle, the Spanish king's envoy in France, said: I am following the theology course of John Mair with great interest as he is a deeply knowledgeable man whose virtue is as great as his faith … May the eternal king deign to grant him long life that he may for long years be useful to our alma mater, the University of Paris. This indicates that Mair was a great teacher. In a famous phrase Knox refers to Mair as a man 'whose word was then held as an oracle on matters of religion' (History of the Reformation, 1.15). Biographical sources: (e.g. OxDNB, family memoir, other...) OxDNB Knox: History of the Reformation Available images of the person: Wikipedia