Bonet, Nicholas

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BONET, NICHOLAS

Theologian; b. Tours, France, c. 1280; d. perhaps Malta, before Oct. 27, 1343. Bonet was a Franciscan, and a disciple of John duns scotus at Paris, where Bonet taught for many years. Philip VI made him his private chaplain and authorized him to examine john xxii's teaching on the beatific vision. Benedict XII sent him as his legate (1338) to Kublai, the Great Khan of the Tartars, and Clement VI named him bishop of Malta (1342). He was not able to complete his term as legate and was bishop of Malta for but a short time. His influence was greatly felt through his writings: Theologia naturalis (Venice 1505) and Formalitates in via Scoti (Venice 1489).

Bibliography: f. o'briain, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques (Paris 1912) 9:849852. t. barth, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 195765) 7:982.

[g. odoardi]