Editing Jansenism (section)

=== A form of French Augustinianism—Vergier and the Arnaulds ===
[[File:Jean Duvergier de Hauranne.jpg|upright|thumb|{{lang|fr|Abbé de Saint-Cyran}} – [[Jean du Vergier de Hauranne]] (1581–1643), abbot of Saint Cyran Abbey in Brenne, one of the intellectual fathers of Jansenism]]
Until then, grace was not frequently debated among French Roman Catholics; the topic was overshadowed by the devastating [[French Wars of Religion]]. The Jesuits were also banished from the kingdom between 1595 and 1603, so the Augustinian doctrine had no real opponents.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the principal religious movement was the [[French school of spirituality]], mainly represented by the [[Oratory of Jesus]] founded in 1611 by [[Pierre de Bérulle|Cardinal Pierre de Bérulle]], a close friend of Vergier. The movement sought to put into practice a certain form of Augustinianism without focusing on the question of grace as the Jansenists would later do. Its emphasis was to bring souls to a state of humility before God through the adoration of [[Christ]] as Saviour.<ref name="Cognet-1967" />{{Rp|page=21}} Although Bérulle interfered little in the debates on grace, the Oratory and the Jesuits still came into conflict, with Vergier taking part by publishing writings against the 'Molinists'.<ref name="Cognet-1967" />{{Rp|page=24}} Moreover, Bérulle, after having been the ally of [[Cardinal Richelieu]], became his enemy when he realised Richelieu was not so much seeking the victory of Roman Catholicism in Europe, but rather seeking "to construct a political synthesis which would ensure the universal supremacy of the French monarchy";<ref name="Cognet-1967" />{{Rp|page=|pages=24–25}} placing himself in alignment with the royal jurists. When Bérulle died in 1629, Richelieu transferred his hostility towards Vergier,<ref name="Cognet-1967" />{{Rp|page=25}} mainly due to a theological debate regarding contrition (which had not been settled by the Council of Trent) that disinclined him to Vergier, making him, at least on this point, an ally of the Jesuits.

[[File:Champaigne portrait richelieu eb.jpg|upright|left|thumb|[[Cardinal Richelieu]] (1585–1642), French statesman, prelate of the Roman Catholic Church and one of the early opponents of Jansenism]]

Vergier in his writings insisted on the necessity of a true 'inner conversion' ([[perfect contrition]]) for the salvation of a Christian; the only way, according to him, to be able to receive the [[sacrament]]s of [[penance]] and the [[Eucharist]]. This process of inner conversion, called the practice of 'renewals', is necessarily long and, once the state of conversion has been reached, the penitent must make the graces he has received bear fruit, preferably by leading a life of retreat.<ref name="Cognet-1967" />{{Rp|page=26}} This notion of an -inner conversion is related to the doctrine of contrition in the remission of sins, that is, it was considered necessary to express love for God in order receive the sacraments. In opposition to Vergier, Richelieu in his book ''Instruction du chrétien'' ('Instruction of the Christian', 1619), along with the Jesuits, supported the thesis of attrition ([[imperfect contrition]]) that is, for them, the "regret for sins based solely on the fear of hell" is sufficient for one to receive the sacraments.<ref name="Cognet-1967" />{{Rp|page=29}} The idea that the Eucharist should be received very infrequently, and that reception required much more than freedom from mortal sin, remained influential until it was finally condemned in the early 20th century by [[Pope Pius X]], who endorsed frequent communion, as long as the communicant was free of mortal sin.

In 1602, [[Marie Angélique Arnauld]], member of the [[Arnauld family|Arnaulds]], a large family of the Parisian [[nobility]], became [[abbess]] of [[Port-Royal-des-Champs]], a [[Cistercian convent]] in [[Magny-les-Hameaux]]. There, she reformed discipline after a conversion experience in 1608. In 1625, most of the nuns moved to [[Paris]], forming the convent of [[Port-Royal de Paris]]. In 1634, after coming into contact with the Arnaulds, Vergier became the spiritual advisor of Port-Royal-des-Champs, putting into practice his Augustinian vision of salvation, and also became a good friend of Angélique Arnauld;<ref name="Cognet-1967" />{{Rp|page=29}} convincing her of the rightness of Jansen's opinions. In 1637, [[Antoine Le Maistre]], nephew of Angélique Arnaud, retreated to Port-Royal in order to fully immerse himself in the demanding spiritual practices he learned from Vergier.<ref name="Cognet-1967" />{{Rp|page=28}} He was thus the first of the [[Solitaires of Port-Royal|''Solitaires'' of Port-Royal]], and his example would be followed by other pious men wishing to live in isolation.

The two convents became major strongholds of Jansenism. Under Angélique Arnauld, later with Vergier's support, Port-Royal-des-Champs developed a series of elementary schools, known as the ''[[Petites écoles de Port-Royal]]'' ('Little Schools of Port-Royal'); the most famous product of these schools was the playwright [[Jean Racine]].<ref name="Musée protestant">{{Cite web |title=Jansenism: a movement of great influence |url=https://www.museeprotestant.org/en/notice/jansenism-a-movement-of-great-influence/ |website=Musée protestant}}</ref> Through Angélique Arnauld, Vergier had met her brother, [[Antoine Arnauld]], became his protector and brought him to accept Jansen's position in {{lang|la|Augustinus}}. Following Vergier's death in 1643, Antoine Arnauld, then a brilliant lawyer, priest and theologian at the [[College of Sorbonne|Sorbonne]] (theological college of the [[University of Paris]]), became the chief proponent of Jansenism.

[[File:Angélique Arnauld Port Royal.jpg|upright|left|thumb|{{lang|fr|La mère}} – [[Marie Angélique Arnauld]] (1591–1661), [[abbess]] of [[Port-Royal-des-Champs]]]]

By allying with the Protestant princes against the Roman Catholic princes in the [[Thirty Years' War]], Richelieu aroused the suspicion of the devout Jansenists, leading Vergier to openly condemn his foreign policy. For this reason he was imprisoned in the [[Bastille]] in May 1638.<ref name="Musée protestant" /> The debate on the role of contrition and attrition in salvation was also one of the motives of the imprisonment.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pascal |first=Blaise |title=Les provincials; Pensées; [et opuscules divers] |publisher=Livre de Poche |year=2004 |isbn=2253132772 |editor1-last=Ferreyrolles |editor1-first=Gérard |location=Paris |pages=430–431 |editor2-last=Sellier |editor2-first=Philippe}}</ref> Vergier was not released until after Richelieu's death in 1642, and he died shortly thereafter, in 1643.

From 1640, the Jesuits condemned Vergier's practice of renewals, which, according to them, risked discouraging the faithful and therefore distancing them from the sacraments.<ref name="Chantin-1996" />{{Rp|page=16}} The Jesuits encouraged the faithful, whether or not they were struggling with sin, to receive the Eucharist frequently, arguing that [[Christ]] instituted it as a means to holiness for sinners, and stating that the only requirement for receiving Communion (apart from [[baptism]]) was that the communicant be free of [[mortal sin]] at the time of reception. Antoine Arnauld responded to them in 1643 with ''De la fréquente communion'' ('Of frequent communion'),<ref>{{Cite book |last=Arnaud |first=Antoine |title=De la fréquente Communion ou les sentimens des Pères, des papes et des Conciles, touchant l'usage des sacremens de pénitence et d'Eucharistie, sont fidèlement exposez, par M. A. Arnauld prestre Docteur |date=1643 |publisher=A. Vitré |location=Paris |pages=790 |language=fr |trans-title=Of frequent communion or the views of the Fathers, popes and councils, touching the usage of the sacraments of penance and the Eucharist, faithfully exposited by Mr. A. Arnaud priest and theologian.}}</ref> representing the deeply pessimistic theology of Jansenism, and discouraged frequent Communion, arguing that a high degree of perfection, including purification from attachment to [[venial sin]], was necessary before approaching the sacrament. Arnaud presented Jansen's ideas in a more accessible way to the public (e.g., the work was written in the vernacular, whereas ''Augustinus'' was written in [[Latin]]). The work was approved by fifteen bishops and archbishops, as well as twenty-one theologians of the Sorbonne and was widely distributed except in Jesuit circles.<ref name="Hildesheimer-1992">{{Cite book |last=Hildesheimer |first=Françoise |title=Le Jansénisme |publisher=Desclée de Brouwer |publication-date=1992 |pages= |language=fr |trans-title=Jansenism}}</ref>{{Rp|page=21}}

In 1644, Antoine Arnauld published an ''Apologie pour Jansenius'' ('Apology for Jansenius'),<ref>{{Cite book |last=Arnaud |first=Antoine |title=Apologie de Monsieur Jansenius evesque d'Ipre & de la doctrine de S. Augustin, expliquée dans son livre, intitulé, Augustinus. Contre trois sermons de Monsieur Habert, theologal de Paris, prononcez dans Nostre-Dame, le premier & le dernier dimanche de l'advent 1642. & le dimanche de la septuagesime 1643 |date=1644 |publisher=s.l.s.n. |language=fr |trans-title=Apology of Mr. Jansenius, bishop of Ypres & the doctrine of St. Augustine, explained in his book titled 'Augustinus'. Against three sermons of Mr. Habert, theologian of Paris, pronounced in Notre-Dame, the first and the last Sunday of Advent 1642 and the Sunday of the Septuagesima 1643.}}</ref> then a ''Seconde apologie'' ('Second apology')<ref>{{Cite book |last=Arnauld |first=Antoine |title=Seconde Apologie pour Monsieur Jansenius, évesque d'Ipre, & pour la doctrine de S. Augustin expliquée dans son livre intitulé " Augustinus " : contre la Response que Monsieur Habert, théologal de Paris, a faite à la première Apologie, & qu'il a intitulée " La Défense de la foy de l'Eglise, &c " |date=1645 |publisher=s.l.s.n. |language=fr |trans-title=Second apology for Mr. Jansenius, bishop of Ypres, & for the doctrine of St. Augustine explained in his book titled 'Augustinus': against the response that Mr. Habert, theologian of Paris, made to the first apology, & which was entitled 'The Defence of the faith and the Church, etc.'}}</ref> in the following year, and finally an ''Apologie pour M. de Saint-Cyran'' ('Apology for Saint-Cyran [Vergier]').<ref>{{Cite book |last=Arnauld |first=Antoine |title=Apologie pour feu M. l'Abbé de Saint-Cyran, contre l'extrait d'une information prétendue que l'on fit courir contre luy l'an 1638, et que les Jésuites ont fait imprimer depuis quelques mois, à la teste d'un libelle intitulé : Sommaire de la théologie de l'abbé de Saint-Cyran et du sieur Arnauld |date=1644 |publisher=s.l.s.n. |edition=1st |language=fr |trans-title=Apology for the late Abbey of Saint-Cyran, against the extract of certain alleged material that was circulated against him in the year 1638, and which the Jesuits printed several months ago, at the head of a libelle entitled: 'Summary of the theology of the abbey of Saint-Cyran and of Sir Arnauld'.}}</ref> Arnauld also replied to Jesuit criticism with {{lang|fr|Théologie morale des Jésuites}} ('Moral Theology of the Jesuits').<ref name="Carraud" /> The Jesuits then designated [[Nicolas Caussin]] (former confessor of [[Louis XIII of France|Louis XIII]]) to write {{lang|fr|Réponse au libelle intitulé La Théologie morale des Jésuites}} ('Response to the libel titled Moral Theology of the Jesuits') in 1644. Another Jesuit response was {{lang|fr|Les Impostures et les ignorances du libelle intitulé: La Théologie Morale des Jésuites}} ('The impostures and ignorance of the libel titled Moral Theology of the Jesuits') by François Pinthereau, under the pseudonym of "abbé de Boisic", also in 1644.<ref>{{cite book |author=Abbé de Boisic (pseud. of Pinthereau, François) |title=Les impostures et les ignorances du libelle, intitulé: la théologie morale des Jésuites |date=1644 |publisher=[s.n.] |location=[s.l.] |language=fr |oclc=493191187}}</ref> Pinthereau also wrote a critical history of Jansenism, {{lang|fr|La Naissance du Jansénisme découverte à Monsieur le Chancelier}} ('The Birth of Jansenism Revealed to the Chancellor') in 1654. During the 1640s, [[Duvergier de Hauranne, Jean|Vergier's]] nephew, [[Martin de Barcos]], who was once a theology student under Jansen, wrote several works defending his uncle.