ROSCELLIN of COMPIÈGNE. - Theologian and philosopher, born in Compiègne around the mid-11th century, died around 1120. Renowned master of dialectic, cited at the Council of Soissons (1092), he avoided condemnation by rejecting his tritheist theory. He went to England but did not stay long; he taught in Besançon and Loches, where he had as a pupil Abelard (q.v.).
Since the time of Otto of Freising (q.v.), who says of him: «primus nostris temporibus sententiam vocum instituit» (Gesta Friderici Imp., I, 47; MGH, Scriptores, XX, p. 376), R. is considered the initiator of nominalism (q.v.); in nature only the individual exists (q.v.), and general ideas are nothing but names (voces, flatus vocis). Applying this theory to the Trinitarian mystery, R. slipped into tritheism, which made him particularly famous: in the Most Holy Trinity there are
three Persons or ones separated from one another, as are three angels, yet so that there is one will and power... and they could truly be called three gods if usage permitted» (St. Anselm, Ep. ad Fulconem: PL 158, 1192): since only individuals exist, the three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity would share only will and power; a moral-dynamic unity of the three Persons, in opposition to the consubstantiality defined at the Council of Nicaea (325).