Langton, Stephen

LANGTON, STEPHEN. - Theologian and cardinal, b. in England ca. 1150, d. at Slindon on 9 July 1228. In Paris he attended the lectures of John Beleth and Peter Comestor, and having obtained the mastership in theology around 1180, he taught at the University for about twenty years.

Created cardinal by Innocent III (22 June 1206) and archbishop of Canterbury (whence the name Stephens Cantuariensis) on 17 June 1207, his election was contested by the king of England, and he could not enter his see until 1213. As archbishop of Canterbury he had an activity that left its mark on the national history of England: he cooperated in the drafting of the Magna Charta, and presided in 1228 over the Council of Oxford. According to medieval custom he held the title of Doctor nominatissimus. A man of extraordinary learning, he wrote postils and glosses on almost all the books of Holy Scripture, a commentary on the Historia scholastica of Peter Comestor, very numerous quaestiones and sermones, and above all two theological summae of particular importance. If one excepts the Sermo in transl. s. Thomae Cantuariensis (PL 190, 407-24), everything has remained unpublished. P. Glorieux (Répertoire des maîtres en théologie de Paris au XIIIe siècle, I, Paris 1933, pp. 238-60) gives an exact list of all the works of L. with an indication of the incipit and of the codices in which they are contained.

Antonio Piolanti