John Duns Scotus lived from 1265/6 to 8 November 1308. He was a was a theologian, philosopher, and logician
Born at Duns, educated at Haddington, became a Franciscan Friar at Dumfries, studied at North Uist (See the photo of the Friary) and Oxford, taught in Paris and Cologne where he died..
While other philosophers thought of reason as the distinguishing mark of humanity, Scotus seems to have recognised the capacity to love as the hallmark of being human, every individual being uniquely significant and important, with Christ, the crown of creation, raising humanity to a sharing in the divine life.
In his time it was disputed whether the mother of Jesus was born without any flaw or sin – he taught that God could give that gift, that it was appropriate for God to do so and so God did it. (Potuit, decet, fecit)
His epitaph had the inscription
“Scotia me genuit, Anglia me docuit, Gallia me recepit, Colonia me tenet.”
“Scotland brought me forth, England taught me, France received me, Cologne holds me.”
A true European
Acknowledgements: Narrator : Jean Swinbank
Music: theme from the schools Cantata ‘Scotus’ by Sean Fitzgerald and Gerry Fitzpatrick, and harp music ’St Thenew’ by Catherine Walker.
Visuals: scenery from the Cantata devised and created by the Art Dept of St Roch’s Secondary School, and photos of the ruins of the Franciscan Friary on North Uist (c) Mikeybaby.
St Mungo Music 2024
