What the Friars Really Learned at Oxford and Cambridge

A significant portion of medieval Scholastic learning, particularly in philosophy and theology, occurred in the studia or study-houses of religious orders rather than in universities. This counterintuitive finding reveals that most members of mendicant orders, including renowned figures like Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas, and John Duns Scotus, spent more time teaching in these studia than in university settings. Consequently, a substantial body of Scholastic literature emerged from this institutional context. Additionally, the Papal Court—particularly the Sacred Palace at Avignon—and royal courts served as crucial loci for intellectual activity during this period. The study compiles essays from a 2008 colloquium, analyzing the educational and scholarly practices across various religious orders (Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinian Hermits, Carmelites, Benedictines, Cistercians) and courts (Rome, Avignon, London, Naples, Munich).

Goering, J. (2012). What the Friars Really Learned at Oxford and Cambridge. Philosophy and Theology in the ‘Studia’ of the Religious Orders and at Papal and Royal Courts, 33–48. https://doi.org/10.1484/m.rpm-eb.1.100971