GUGLIELMO D'AUXERNE (Guillelmus Altissiodorensis). — Philosopher and theologian, born between 1144 and 1149, died 3 November 1231. He was a master of theology at the University of Paris and is the author of a celebrated Summa theologica, also called Summa aurea (Paris 1500, 1518; Venice 1591).
In addition to the Summa aurea, in his youth he wrote a commentary on Alan of Lille’s Anticlaudianus and a Summa de officiis, both of which remain in manuscript.
He belongs to the group of theologians of the Augustinian tradition, but was not narrowly conservative; rather, he was open to the influence of the Aristotelian doctrines that were then spreading throughout the Latin world. Together with Simone di Authie and Stefano di Provins, he was commissioned by Gregory IX to revise Aristotle’s physical and metaphysical books (the reading of which in schools had been prohibited in 1210 and 1215), so that the edition corrected by them might be permitted at the University. He affirms the necessity of rational (theological) speculation concerning revealed data, as s. Anselmo had already taught; he also accepts Anselm’s ontological argument for demonstrating the existence of God (though he presents alongside it the argument based on the principle of causality).