Walter Chatton and the Controversy on the Absolute Necessity of Grace

Abstract

WALTER CHATTON AND THE CONTROVERSY ON THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF GRACE William of Ockham was summoned to Avignon in 1324,1 presumably in order to be present while a Papal Commission of six theologians, headed by the ex-Chancellor of Oxford, John Lutterel, examined his writings for heresy. The stormy career of this English Franciscan has left a number of unanswered questions in its wake which have been no small cause for wonder to historians of this period. Why, for instance, did Ockham never become Magister regens after formally incepting at Oxford? Who, besides John Lutterel, was instrumental in preventing Ockham's magisterial promotion and, we might add, in having him summoned to Avignon? Why was not Durand of St. Pourçain2 among the signatories of the final version of the Avignon Commission even though he was listed as one of the 1 Cf. J. Koch, "Neue Aktenstücke zu dem gegen Wilhelm Ockham in Avignon geführten Prozess," Recherches de Théologie Ancienne et Médiévale, 7 (1935), 353-380; 8 (1936), 79-93.' 168-197. 2 Ibid., 8 (1936), 81 et 194. It is very interesting to note that Durandus held an opinion in substantial agreement with Scotus and Ockham. Durandus de S. Porciano , In I Sent., d. 17, q. 1: "Ad esse Deo gratum vel charum non sequitur necessario necessitate absoluta quod homo sit quandoque habiturus gratiam vel •chantatem habitualem sibi formaliter inherentem, quia amare vel diligere aliquem nihil aliud est quam velle ei bonum... Sed Deus potest velle homini bonum, et summum cuius ipse est capax (scilicet beatitudinem) absque hoc quod velit ei dare gratiam habitualem vel charitatem quantum est de potentia absoluta, secundum quam Deus potest dare et homo recipere gloriam vel beatitudinem sine gratia habituali praevia. Ergo ad esse Deo dilectum vel ad esse Deo gratum vel charum non sequitur ex necessitate absoluta quod homo sit quandoque habiturus gratiam vel charitatem habitualem." (ed. Antverpiae, 1566, f. 54vb). It is likewise of considerable historical interest to know that Walter Chatton, as well as John Lutterel, took part in the process against Durandus in September at Avignon; cf. H. Denifle - A. Châtelain, Chartularium Universitatis Parisiensis , II, (Paris, 1891), p. 419. Walter Chatton and the Absolute Necessity of Grace33 examining theologians? Historians may one day be able to assemble the puzzle but at present we seem to have more questions than answers. Some of the areas of Ockham's thought which received a great deal of attention from the Avignon examiners were his views on grace and merit, sin and punishment, and their relationship to the life hereafter. These theological views of the Venerable Inceptor are taken up in the first nine articles of the Avignon Commission's final redaction . It is not surprising that the examiners followed the lead of Lutterel's libellus3 against Ockham since we know that the ex-Chancellor of Oxford was seeking preferment at the Papal Court and may well have used the Ockham affaire célebre to further his own ambitions. We might be entitled to be mildly astonished that Ockham is likewise opposed in this area by one of his fellow Franciscans, Walter Chatton. However, to anyone familiar with the Sentence Commentary of Chatton, it is apparent that he is constantly at doctrinal odds with his fellow friar. This is in fact the case in the grace-merit debate where Chatton's views coincide with those of examining theologians. We may well wonder whether or not it was pure coincidence that Walter Chatton eventually found his way to Avignon where, in the twilight of his career, he had the uncommon bad luck of being named bishop to a See which had not yet become vacant.4 In this article, we propose to set the scene for Chatton's views on the grace-merit controversy by sketching its development through Scotus, Aureoli and Ockham. The clue to the history of the debate, as we have outlined it, is given to us by the Venerable Inceptor himself . In question five of the third book of the Sentences, we find a treatment of the grace-merit issue which closely parallels Ockham's Ordinatio, book I, distinction 17, question i5 and may...