Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 12.djvu/751

This page needs to be proofread.

RAYMOND


671


RAYMOND


theology. Raymond, carried on by his zeal for the refutation of the Arabians, went to the opposite extreme. He held that there is no distinction be- tween philosophy and theology, between reason and faith, so that even the highest mysteries may be proved by means of logical demonstration and the use of the Ars Magna. This of course removed all dis- tinction between natural and supernatural truth. Unlike Abelard's, however, Raymond's rationahsm was of the mystic tj-pe: he taught expressly that, for the understanding of the highest truths, reason must be aided by faith; that once faith has flooded the soul with its radiance, reason, enlightened and strengthened by faith, "is as capable of showing that there are three persons in one God as it is of proving that there cannot be three Gods". "Relying on the grace of God", he writes, "I intend to prove the articles of faith by convincing reasons" ("Opera", Strasburg ed., p. 966). On the other hand, he held that, although reason needs this Divine assistance, faith is just as much in need of reason; faith may de- ceive us unless reason guides it. He who relies on faith alone is like a blind man who, relying on the sense of touch, can sometimes find what he wants but often misses it; to be certain of finding his object, he needs sight as well as touch. So Raymond held that a man, in order to find out the truth about God, must bring reason to the task as well as faith.

These principles were taken up by the followers of Raymond, known as Lullists, who for a time had so great an influence, especially in Spain, that they suc- ceeded in founding chairs at the Universities of Bar- celona and Valencia for the propagation of the doc- trines of the "Illuminated Doctor". The Church authorities, however, recognized the dangerous con- sequences which follow from the breaking down of the distinction between natural and supernatural truth. Consequently, in spite of his praiseworthy zeal and his crown of martyrdom, Raymond has not been canonized. His rationahstic mysticism was formally condemned by Gregorj' XI in 1376 and the con- demnation was renewed by Paul IV. Raymond's works were published in ten foUo volumes at Mainz, 1721—12. There are, besides, several editions of portions of his writings. His poems and popular treatises, written in Catalonian, had a very wide circulation in liis own day, and their style has won him a high place in the history of medieval Spanish literature. The best known edition of the works in which he describes his logical machine is the Stras- burg edition of 1651. The "Rivista Lulliana", a periodical devoted to the exposition of Raymond's philosophy, was started at Barcelona in 1901.

RlBEiRA, Origines delafitosofia de Ramdn LuUo (Madrid, 1899) ; Denifle in Arch. /. Liu. u. Kirchengesch. (188S), 3.52; de Wulf, Hixlory of Medieval Phil., tr. Coffey (New York, 1909). 403 sqq.; TORNER, History of Philosophy (Boston. 1903), 394 sqq.

William Turner.

Raymond Martini, Dominican, theologian. Orien- talist, b. at Subirats, Catalonia, c. 1220; d. after July, 12S4. In 1250 he was selected by his superiors to study Oriental languages, in 1264 became a mem- ber of the commission appointed by Jaime I of Aragon to censure the writings possessed by the Jews, and subsequently preached to the Moors in Spain and Tunis. Returning to Barcelona (1269) he successfully taught the Oriental languages and wrote against the Jews and Moors. His chief work, "Pugio Fidei Christianae" completed after 1278, printed in Paris, 1651, and Leipzig, 16S7, is written in Latin and Hebrew. It appeals to the Hebrew Scriptures and ancient rabbinical writings to prove the truth of Christianity against the Jews. The work, which clearly indicates that Raymond Martini was extremely well-read in Hebrew literature, is much valued on account of its citations from the Talmud and other sources, and has also been highly esteemed


as a polemical source. It is not probable, however, that it was known and used by St. Thomas Aquinas. Martini's other works are the recently discovered "Explanatio simboh apostolorum ad institutionem fidelium edita", written about 1256, of which im- portant fragments were edited by Denifle, and two polemical works also antedating the "Pugio Fidei", but both lost, "Summa contra Alcoranum" and "Capistrum Judteorum".

QutTiF-EcHARD. Script. Ord. Pra-d.. I. 396; Touron, Hist, des hommes illu.l. de VOrdre de St. Dom.. I. 489-504; Mandonxet, Siger de Brabant. I (Louvain, 190S). 47, 53, 315; II (Louvain, 1911), 28-9; DouAls. Essai sur I' organisation des etudes dans I'ordre des Frh-es Pricheurs au treiziime et au quatorziime sikcle (Paris, 1884), 135-140; Jewish Encycl., VIII (New York, 1906). 351; Journal of Philology. XVI (1887), 131-52; Zeitschrift fUr Hebr. Bibl. (1902-3).

J. A. McHuGH.

Raymond Nonnatus, Saint (in Spanish San Ram6n), b. 1200 or 1204 at Portello in the Diocese of Urgel in Catalonia; d. at Cardona, 31 Aug., 1240. His feast is celebrated on 31 August. He is pictured in the habit of his order surrounded by ransomed slaves, with a padlock on his lips. He was taken from the womb of his mother after her death, hence his name. Of noble but poor family, he showed early traits of piety and great talent. His father or- dered him to tend a farm, but later gave him per- mission to take the habit with the Mercodarians at Barcelona, at the hands of the founder, St. Peter Nolasco. Rajnnond made such progress in the re- ligious life that he was soon considered worthy to succeed his master in the office of ransomer. He was sent to Algiers and liberated many captives, ^\^len money failed he gave himself as hostage. He was zealous in teaching the Christian religion and made many converts, which embittered the Mohammedan authorities. Raymond was subjected to all kinds of indignities and cruelty, was made to run the gauntlet, and was at last sentenced to impalement. The hope of a greater sum of money as ransom caused the governor to commute the sentence into imprison- ment. To prevent him from preaching Christ, his lips were pierced with a red-hot iron and closed with a padlock. After his arrival in Spain, in 1239, he was made a cardinal by Gregory IX. In the next year he was called to Rome by the pope, but came only as far as Cardona, about six miles from Barcelona, where he died. His body was brought to the chapel of St. Nicholas near his old farm. In 1657 his name was placed in the Roman mart\Tolog)' by Alexander VII. He is invoked by women in labour and by persons falsely accused. The appendix to the Roman Ritual gives a formula for the blessing of water, in his honour, to be used by the sick, and another of candles.

Butler. Lives of the Saints; Stadler, Heiligenlexicon; Gams, Kirchengesch. von Spanien, III, 1; Acta SS., Aug. VI, 729.

Francis Mershman.

Raymond of Penafort, Saint, b. at Villafranca de Benadis, near Barcelona, in 1175; d. at Barcelona, 6 Jan., 1275. He became professor of canon law in 1195, and taught for fifteen years. He left Spain for Bologna in 1210 to complete his studies in canon law. He occupied a chair of canon law in the university for three years and published a treatise on ecclesiastical legislation which still exists in the Vatican Library. Raymond was attracted to the Dominican Order by the preaching of Blessed Regi- nald, prior of the Dominicans of Bologna, and re- ceived the habit in the Dominican Convent of Bar- celona, whither he had returned from Italy in 1222. At Barcelona he was co-founder with St. Peter Nolasco of the Order of Mercedarians. He also founded institutes at Barcelona and Tunis for the study of Oriental languages, to convert the Moors and Jews. At the request of his superiors Raymond published the "Summa Casuum", of which several