Editing Richard Simon (priest) (section)

==Conflicts as Oratorian==
Simon was ordained a priest in 1670. He then taught rhetoric at Juilly until 1673, having among his students the noted philosopher, Count [[Henri de Boulainvilliers]].<ref>Israel, p. 566.</ref>

Simon was influenced by the ideas of [[Isaac La Peyrère]] who came to live with the Oratorians (though taking little of the specifics), and by [[Baruch Spinoza]]. Simon's approach earned him the later recognition as a "Father of the [[higher criticism]]", though this title is also given to German writers of the following century, as well as to Spinoza himself.<ref>[[Richard Henry Popkin]], ''Isaac La Peyrère (1596–1676): his life, work, and influence'' (1987), p. 87; [https://books.google.com/books?id=lkFaju2praAC&pg=PA87 Google Books].</ref> Simon had a friend who was Jewish and a follower of [[Sabbatai Zevi]], and tried to have La Peyrere talk to him, but he showed no interest.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Popkin |first=Richard Henry |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lkFaju2praAC&q=zevi&pg=PA87 |title=Isaac La Peyrère (1596-1676): His Life, Work, and Influence |date=1987 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-08157-4 |pages=20, 105 |language=en}}</ref>

Simon aroused ill will when he strayed into a legal battle. François Verjus was a fellow Oratorian and friend who was acting against the [[Benedictine]]s of [[Fécamp Abbey]] on behalf of their [[commendatory abbot]], the [[Philip William, Elector Palatine|Prince de Neubourg]].<ref>Antoine Augustin Bruzen de La Martinière, ''Lettres choisies de M. Simon'' (1730), p. 25; [https://books.google.com/books?id=7aIGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA25 Google Books].</ref> Simon composed a strongly worded memorandum, and the monks complained to the [[Abbé]] Abel-Louis de Sainte-Marthe, [[Provost (religion)|Provost]] General of the Oratory from 1672.<ref>[http://www.abbe-papon.net/oratoire.html ''L'Oratoire de France'']</ref> The charge of [[Jesuitism]] was also brought against Simon, on the grounds that his friend's brother, Father Antoine Verjus, was a prominent member of the [[Society of Jesus]].{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}