Berti, Giovanni Lorenzo
Berti, Giovanni Lorenzo
An Italian theologian, b. 28 May, 1696, at Sarravezza, Tuscany; d. 26 March, 1766, at Pisa. His parents were of the lower class. At the age of fifteen he entered the Augustinian order, and preached with success before he had attained his twenty-third year. He subsequently occupied important offices in his order, i.e. those of general secretary, prefect of the Angelica (the former valuable library of the Augustinians at Rome), general assistant. He first taught philosophy, then theology, at Sienna, Florence, Bologna, Padua, Rome, and finally (1748) became professor of ecclesiastical history at Pisa. He suffered, in 1762, a stroke of apoplexy which was repeated and eventually caused his death. His literary career was an agitated one. By order of Father Schiaffinatti, his Superior General, he wrote the extensive work “De Theologicis Disciplinis” (Rome, 1739-45), an exposition of the theological teaching of St. Augustine. The book, which appeared in several editions, was vehemently attacked by d’Ise de Saléon (who was successively Bishop of Agen, 1730-35, Bishop of Rodez, 1735-46, and Archbishop of Vienne, 1747-51) and by Languet de Gergy, Archbishop of Sens (1731-53). They accused Berti of Jansenism. In answer, the latter published: (1) “Augustinianum Systema de Gratiâ” (Rome, 1747; Munich, 1750); (2) “In Opusculum” (Leghorn, 1756). The accusations against Berti were submitted to the Roman authorities. Benedict XIV (1740-58) had his book examined and found its teaching sound. Besides other works published in this controversy, Berti wrote: (1) “Commentarius de Rebus gestis S. Augustini” (Venice, 1756); (2) “S. Augustini Quaestionum de Scientiâ,. . . .dilucidatio” (Pisa, 1756); (3) “De Haeresibus Trium Priorum Saeculorum” (Bassano, 1769); (4) “Historia Ecclesiastica” (Florence, 1753), an ecclesiastical history, which he later published in an abridged form (Pisa, 1760), and which, thus shortened, was frequently re-edited (recently at Turin, 1892).
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N.A. WEBER Transcribed by Kryspin J. Turczynski
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IICopyright © 1907 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightImprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Berti, Giovanni Lorenzo
an Augustinian monk, born 1696, in Tuscany. He was called by the Grand- duke of Tuscany to the chair of theology at Pisa, where he died, May 26, 1766. His principal work is a course of theology, printed at Rome, from 1739 to 1745, in 8 vols. 4to, under the title De Theologicis Disciplinis (also Naples, 1776, 10 vols. 4to). He was charged with Jansenism, and, by order of the pope, printed, at the Vatican, in 1749, an apology, under the title Augustinianum systema de gratia, de iniqua Baianismi et Jansenismi erroris insimulatione vindicatum (2 vols. 4to). Against Archbishop Languet, who repeated the same charge, and denounced him to Pope Benedict XIV, he wrote the work, In Opusculum Inscriptum J. J. Languet, Judicium de operibus Theologicis Belleli et Berti, expostulatio (Leghorn, 1756). Berti also wrote an Ecclesiastical History (7 vols. 4to; afterward abridged, Naples, 1748); and a work on the life and writings of Augustine (De Rebus gestis S. Augustini, librisque ab eodem conscriptis, Venice, 1756). Biographie Universelle. 4, 361.