TheLuttrells.com

Copyright 2004-5 Glenn Luttrell

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John Luttrell

Chancellor of Oxford University

1317 - 1322

"Lutterell was an "ardent Thomist," and actively opposed the political and theological influence upon Oxford of the Dominicans and other dissenters from the teachings of Aquinas, doing all to oppose them that his office allowed. Eventually the Masters [Professors] of Oxford became so aggrieved with Lutterell's incessant political activity that they asked Henry Butwolsh, the Bishop of Lincoln and thus Lutterell's boss, to remove Lutterell from his chancellorship. Butwolsh complied, although for political reasons he made sure to state explicitly in an open letter to the Masters that he was only acting upon their 

request."

"William of Ockham, one of the Doctors of the Church, lived in England as a Franciscan theologian and writer. He developed a unique and controversial philosophy which trimmed much from Aristotle's system of the world. These radical beliefs made an enemy of John Lutterell, the chancellor of Oxford at the time."

"In 1323, in Avignon, Lutterell presented Pope John XXII with a paper, "Libellus contra doctrinam G. de Occam," accusing Ockham of putting forth heretical opinions in his writings. The Pope was convinced enough to appoint a commission of six people, including Lutterell, to compile a list of  the heretical writings. Focusing on Ockham's Commentary on the Sentences, especially books 1-4, the commission submitted a completed list toward the end of that year that contained 56 separate articles of suspected heresy (51 of which were later censured, although never actually condemned). Soon after, the Pope commanded Ockham to come to Avignon to answer the charges." 

"Lutterell had received the canonship of 1) Lichfield, 2) Salisbury, 3) York, and was the rector of 1) Holme, 2) Bishopsbourne, by the time he died." 

Above quotes from the following websites:

http://es.rice.edu/ES/humsoc/Galileo/Student_Work/Trial96/breu/ockham.html

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cj.tolley/nch-william-ockham.htm