RICHARD SIMON. - French biblical scholar, b. at Dieppe on 13 May 1638, d. there in April or May 1712. In October 1659 he entered the Oratory, leaving about a year later, but returning in 1662. For a time he taught at Juilly; he worked on Oriental manuscripts in Paris (1665). In 1670 he was ordained priest; but on 21 May he was expelled from the Oratory because of the strong opposition aroused against him by some of his books. S. first retired to Bolleville in Normandy, then, apart from a brief period spent in Paris, to his native Dieppe.
Among his various works, some published under pseudonyms, the most important are: *Fides Ecclesiae orientalis seu Gabrielis Philadelphiensis opuscula* (Paris 1671); *Histoire critique du Vieux Testament* (ibid. 1678), in which he limits Mosaic authenticity to the legislative part of the Pentateuch, which in its present form would be due to Ezra: this work was placed on the Index on 10 Dec. 1682; *Histoire critique du texte du Nouveau Testament* (Amsterdam 1689); *Histoire critique des versions du Nouveau Testament* (Rotterdam 1690: placed on the Index together with the preceding work on 22 Sept. 1693); *Histoire critique des principaux commentateurs du Nouveau Testament* (ibid. 1693); *Nouvelles observations sur le texte et les versions du Nouveau Testament* (Paris 1695).
More a philologist than a theologian, S. is considered among the pioneers of biblical criticism. Many of his observations are now viewed with admiration; but in his own time the boldness of some of his assertions could not but be regarded as revolutionary. For this reason he was the object of bitter polemics, also because of his violent character, on the part of both Catholics and Protestants. Among the rationalists some (e.g., J. S. Semler) exalted him enthusiastically, while others spared him no criticism. Among Catholics Bossuet showed himself very harsh, and among other things composed against S. the *Défense de la tradition et des saints Pères* (published only in 1763): but while the great orator appears a good theologian, he is not always equally successful in his examination of scriptural and patristic texts.