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Document Details :

Title: Het Opus tripartitum van Jean Gerson in het Middelnederlands
Author(s): SCHEPERS, Kees
Journal: Ons Geestelijk Erf
Volume: 79    Issue: 2   Date: Juni 2008   
Pages: 146-188
DOI: 10.2143/OGE.79.2.1234567

Abstract :
It has long been known that from the early fifteenth century on, Jean Gerson’s Opus tripartitum was renowned internationally as being a very important practical guide for the salvation of the souls of ordinary christians both in life and death. This article brings together all the evidence which demonstrates the availability of the three texts in Middle Dutch – initially in Flanders – more or less since their origin, and that they functioned from the outset in conformity with Gerson’s intentions. Thus far a Middle Dutch translation of the commentary to the Ten Commandments was not known to exist. Precisely this translation – possibly from the Bruges region, where Gerson lived for some time – was produced at about the same time as the original text. Gerson’s Opus tripartitum is an invaluable source regarding a very specific socialreligious context. The work is geared to a ‘religious emergency situation’ known firsthand by Gerson and one that he took to heart. The fact that contemporaries and later scholars identified the same sore spot, makes it all the more understandable that Gerson Opus made such a deep impression and proved so very influential. An appendix contains editions of Middle Dutch translations of parts from the Opus tripartitum.

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