MANDONNET,
PIERRE. – Historian of the Church and of medieval theology, born at Beaumont (Puy-de-Dôme) on 26 February 1858, died at Saulchoir on 4 January 1936. He entered the Dominican Order (1882; priest in 1887) and taught (1891–1918) at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. He was dean of the Faculty of Theology (1893–94, 1906–1907) and rector of the University (1902–1903). In 1919 he settled near Paris, then (1927) at Saulchoir. In 1932 he was elected doctor honoris causa of the University of the Sacred Heart of Milan.
Works: 1) Studies on the history of doctrines: foremost, Siger de Brabant et l’averroïsme latin au XIIIe siècle (2 vols., 2nd ed., Louvain 1908, 1911); Dante le théologien (2nd ed., Paris 1935); Le décret d’Innocent XI contre le probabilisme (there 1903). 2) Thomistic studies: fundamental was Des écrits authentiques de st Thomas d’Aquin (2nd ed., Fribourg 1910). His biography of St Thomas was published almost in its entirety by the Revue des jeunes (1919–20) and the Revue thomiste (1925), which he founded, together with Fr. Th. Coconnier, at Fribourg in 1893. His Bibliographie thomiste (in collaboration with J. Destrez, Paris 1921) is still continued by the Bulletin thomiste, which he founded at Saulchoir in 1924, together with the Bibliothèque, the Société (1922), and the Institut historique d’études thomistes. 3) Dominican history: Les Dominicains et la découverte de l’Amérique (Paris 1893) and numerous articles. In addition: St Dominique, l’idée, l’homme et l’oeuvre (with M. H. Vicaire and R. Ladner, 2nd ed., 2 vols., there 1938).
M.’s characteristic as a historian is the breadth and balance of his outlook. He approaches the subject from above and goes straight to the central problem, grasping its essential perspectives, with exacting yet never pedantic erudition. A genuine heir of Denifè (v.) Ehrle (v.), he left a lasting mark on the history of Aristotelianism and of the theological currents of the 13th century, and on the history of St Do-
menico. Of his splendid course in historical methodology, only an outline was published, pro manuscripto: Nature de l’histoire (Fribourg 1913).
(phot. Enc. Catt.)