Bernard and Abelard: An analysis of the elements that led to their conflict at Sens (Peter Abelard, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux)

Bernard of Clairvaux and Peter Abelard are the focal points of this dissertation. Both men have unique characteristics that set them apart form ordinary men. Their differences in thought are examined in this paper.; Briefly, Bernard was a man who relied heavily on faith and virtue as a means to having an experience with God. He sought the loving experience of God and scorned the cold intellectual approach that relied heavily on reason and logic. Bernard thought knowledge was eternal and could be discovered internally. Furthermore, he believed living a virtuous life was an indispensable part of finding knowledge and truth. Reason and logic were likened to child's play. Bernard's approach was traditional with roots stemming back through Augustine to Plato. His ascetic approach to knowing was very popular within the monastic movement of the twelfth-century.; On the other hand, Abelard, a somewhat rebellious character, took a different approach to knowing. He relied heavily on logic and reason, seeking truth through challenges and exploration of man's nature and scripture. He scorned blind acceptance of an authoritative system and proclaimed that one could logically examine and investigate as a means of validating and clarifying beliefs. While he was not interested in attacking the church or its dogma, traditionalists like Bernard found the nature of his approach a danger in and of itself.; Both men were strong minded and more than adequately equipped with the mental powers to develop and articulate a position. Both men had the uncanny ability to convince themselves and their allies that they were victims defending themselves against aggression when more often than not they indeed were the aggressors. This characteristic led them through a life of frequent confrontation. Eventually they met and confronted each other. Although Bernard won the day, in a few short years his leadership in the disastrous Second Crusade was viewed as an embarrassing failure.; The combative nature of the two men and their differing views of knowing God were some of the main factors leading to their clash at Sens.