Averroism was a 13th century school of philosophical thought that grew from the writings of the Arab commentator of Aristotle, Averroës, who attempted to reconcile Aristotelian thought with the Islamic faith. European Scholastic thinkers then applied Aristotelian thought to the Christian theology.
How are we to deal with another monstrous kind of pedant who wears a religious garb, but is most profane in heart and conduct, he who would have us believe that Ambrose, Augustine and Jerome were ignoramuses, for all their wordy treatises? I do not know the origin of these new theologians, who do not spare the great teachers and will soon cease to respect the Apostles and the Gospel itself. They will soon turn their impudent tongues even against Christ, unless He whose cause is at stake interferes to curb the raging beasts. For it has already become a well established habit with these fellows to express their scorn by a mute gesture or by some impious observation whenever revered names or sacred subjects are mentioned. “Augustine,” they will say for example, “saw much, but understood little.” Nor do they speak less insultingly of other great men.
Recently one of these philosophers of the modern stamp happened to be in my library. He did not, it is true, wear the habit of a churchman, but. as we know, the real Christian is known by his belief. He was one of those who think that they live in vain unless they are constantly snarling at Christ or his divine teachings. When I cited some passage or other from the Holy Scriptures, he exploded with wrath, and with his face, naturally ugly, still further disfigured by anger and contempt, he exclaimed, “You are welcome to your two-penny church fathers; as for me, I know the man for me to follow, for I know him whom I have believed.” “But,” I replied, “you use the words of the Apostle; would that you would take them to heart!” “Your Apostle,” he answered, “was a sower of words and a lunatic.” “You reply like a good philosopher,” I said. “The first accusation was brought against him by other philosophers and the second to his face, by Festus, governor of Syria. He did indeed sow the word with such success that, cultivated by the beneficent plow of his successors, and watered by the holy blood of the martyrs, it has borne such an abundant harvest of faith as all may behold.” At this he burst forth into a sickening roar of laughter. “Well, be a good Christian! as for me I put no faith in all that stuff. Your Paul and your Augustine and all the rest of the crowd you preach about, were a set of babblers. If you could but digest Averroes you would quickly see how far superior he was to these empty-headed fellows.” I was very angry, I must confess, and could scarcely keep from striking his filthy, blasphemous mouth. “It is the old feud between me and the heretics of your class. You may go,”
I cried, “—you and your heresy, never to return.” With this I plucked him by the gown and, with a want of ceremony less in consonance with my habits than his own, hurried him out of the house.
There are thousands of instances of this kind where nothing will prevail—neither the majesty of the Christian name, nor the reverence for Christ himself, whom the angels fall down and worship, though weak and depraved mortals may insult Him; not even the fear of punishment or the armed inquisitors of heresy. Prison and stake are alike impotent to restrain the impudence of ignorance and the audacity of heresy.
Such are the times, my friend, upon which we have fallen; such is the period in which we live and are already growing old. Such are the judges against whom I have so often inveighed, who are innocent of knowledge or virtue, and yet harbor the most exalted opinion of themselves. Not content with losing the works of the ancients, they must attack their ability and their ashes. They rejoice in their ignorance, as if what they did not know were not worth knowing. They give full reign to their unlicensed and conceited spirits and freely introduce among us new authors and outlandish teachings.