Thirteenth-century theologian, philosopher, and church leader, Robert Grosseteste was one of the most learned men and respected scholars of his time. Elected as the Bishop of Lincoln in 1235, a post he held until his death in 1253, Grosseteste was something of a polymath, exploring subjects ranging from the natural sciences (physics, cosmography, etc.) to pastoral care and speculative theology. More than 1000 medieval manuscripts of his works are scattered in libraries throughout Europe, and as a result there are immense challenges faced by editors who wish to provide modern critical...

Robert Grosseteste (c.1170-1253) was an English statesman, philosopher, theologian, and bishop of Lincoln, and also one of the most controversial figures in his country's episcopate. His long life coincided with the central period of institutional, intellectual, and religious consolidation in medieval Europe and his letters provide important insights into the practices and preoccupations of the English clergy and laity in the first half of the thirteenth century.

This volume contains the first complete translation of Grosseteste's collected Latin letters and shows that these were...