HONORIUS of AUTUN (Honorius Augustodunensis). — Twelfth-century theologian. The author, who describes himself as a *solitarius*, *scholasticus*, and *presbyter*, took pains to obscure any trace that might lead to the discovery of his person and true name (*nomen meum volui istentio contegi*). In any case, the theater of his activity was not France (Autun, in Burgundy), but Germany, and not in the region of Mainz (as Dieterich believed), but, with every probability, in Regensburg (as Endres demonstrated), in the religious-scientific milieu dominated by Christian, «abbas Scotorum» of St. James (1133–53), to whom O. dedicated some of his writings.
His rich output (PL 172) embraces all theological subjects, with frequent digressions into philosophy and the natural sciences. Besides some exegetical works (literal explanations of Mosaic cosmogony, the Psalms, and the Song of Songs, with brief allegorical explanations) and liturgical writings (allegorical explanations of rites), the following may be noted:
1. Dogmatic theology
*Elucidarium, sive dialogus de summa totius christianae religionis* (cols. 1109–76): a youthful work in which all theological questions, from the Trinity to the resurrection of the flesh, are treated in a rudimentary way; a kind of dialogued catechism that enjoyed wide diffusion and was translated into French, Provençal, Italian, etc.; *Sigillum Sanctae Mariae* (cols. 495–513): explanations of biblical texts used in the feast of the Assumption and application of the Song of Songs to Mary; *Inevitabile seu de libero arbitrio* (cols. 1191–1223): the text reproduced by Migne is a later redaction of the same treatise, in which O. attenuates his Augustinian-inspired predestinarianism; *Eucharisticon, de Corpore Domini* (cols. 1249–58): a personal work in which O.’s Eucharistic faith shines forth; against Berengarius of Tours, he vigorously affirms Transubstantiation and the effects of Communion. He denies the validity of consecration performed by heretics (col. 1253); *Cognitio vitae, de Deo et aeterna vita* (among the works of St. Augustine: PL 40, 1003–32): a work incomplete in the present edition, but the best conceived and executed by the author, in which he treats the principal theological questions in synthetic form; *Quaestiones octo de angelo et homine* (PL 172, 1185–92): poses the question, «Utrum Christus incarnaretur, si homo in paradiso perstitisset?», to which O. answers in the affirmative (prescientism); *De animae exilio et patria* (cols. 1242–46): treats of ignorance (exile) and wisdom (homeland), emphasizing the importance of philosophy for theological study; *De libero arbitrio* (cols. 1223–30): a moderate position in line with St. Anselm.2. Moral and political questions
*Offendiculum, seu de incontinentia sacerdotum* (ed. J. Dieterich, in MGH, *Libelli de lite*, III, Hanover 1897, pp. 29–80): invective against concubinary priests, whose Mass is considered invalid because they are held to be «extra Ecclesiam» due to the excommunication incurred after the Lateran Council (1123); *Summa gloria, de Apostolico et Augusto* (PL 172, 1257–70): O., a staunch defender of the Papacy, upholds its superiority over the Emperor, even in temporal matters; *Scala coeli minor* (cols. 1239–42): on the various degrees of charity; *Liber duodecim quaestionum* (cols. 1177–86): an essay in medieval angelology; at col. 1182, a solemn affirmation of the primacy of the Roman pontiff; *Utrum monachis licet praedicare* (ed. Endres, *Honorius A.*, op. cit., in bibliography, p. 147 ff.): a warm advocate of the external apostolate of monks; *De vita claustrali* (PL 172, 1247–48): a pamphlet in harmony with the preceding.3. History
*Summa totius seu de omnimoda historia* (cols. 187–96): a general chronicle, of which Migne published (taken from MGH, *Script.*, X) a small part; *De luminis ab Ecclesiae* (cols. 197–234): a *De viris illustribus* compiled from St. Jerome, Gennadius, St. Isidore, Sigebert of Gembloux, which concludes with a list of O.’s works and the naïve phrase: «qui post hunc scripturus sit, posteritas videbit» (col. 234); *Liber de haeresibus* (cols. 233–40): a heresiology inspired by Isidore of Seville.4. Liturgy
*Gemma animae, de divinis officiis* (cols. 541–738): symbolic explanation of the entire liturgy; *Sacramentarium, de sacramentis* (cols. 737–814): explanation of the rites (*sacramenta*) of the Mass.5. Natural sciences
*Imago mundi, de dispositione orbis* (cols. 115–88): a kind of *speculum mundi* (a genre that became fashionable shortly afterward), divided into three parts: *globus mundi* (compendium of geography and astronomy); *tempus in quo volvitur* (study of time and the calendar); *id quod volvitur* (events, divine history in three periods); *Clavis phylosophiae, de natura rerum* (unpublished): adaptation of the *De divisione naturae* of Eriugena; *De solis effectibus* (cols. 101–16): a short treatise on astronomy.To O.’s innate curiosity, which drove him to tackle the most thorny problems of philosophy and theology, there did not correspond an equal critical sense or power of reasoning to resolve them. Dominated by the frenzy of the age, he gave himself over to a chaotic and feverish activity, with which he produced other but no more substantial syntheses; therefore, one should not be surprised if alongside solutions that echo the best theological tradition, there are movements of thought that are sometimes naïve, often disconcerting (on the nature of God as *substantia omnium*, on predestination, on the fate of the Eucharistic body eaten by sinners, on the origin of evil, on the cosmic resolution of the glorified body of Christ and of future restored bodies).