Berti, Giovanni Lorenzo
BERTI, GIOVANNI LORENZO
Theologian; b. Sarravezza, Tuscany, May 28, 1696;d. Florence, March 26, 1766. A Hermit of St. Augustine, he taught philosophy and theology and held high offices in his order. His superior general, A. Schiaffinati, directed him to write an exposition of the doctrine of St. Augustine. Berti's detractors found this eight-volume work, entitled De theologicis disciplinis (Rome 1739–45), to be Jansenistic. In defense of his doctrine, Berti wrote several works, chief of which was Augustinianum systema de gratia vindicatum (Rome 1747). His writings were examined in Rome under Benedict XIV and declared orthodox. He also wrote a widely used work on Church history, which was entitled Ecclesiasticae historiae breviarium (Pisa 1760).
Bibliography: h. hurter, Nomenclator literarius theologiae catholicae, 5.1:1–4. e. portaliÉ, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique (Paris 1903–50) 1.2:2485–2501. p. stella, "Fecerunt civitates duas amores duo (De civitate Dei XIV, 28) dall'agostinismo dell '600 all Rivoluzione francese," in e. cavalcanti, Il "De civitate Dei," l'opera, le interpretazioni, l'influsso (Rome 1996) 447–467.
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