Jacques Gousset
Encyclopedia
Jacques Gousset (1635–1704) was a French Protestant theologian and philologist, after 1685 in exile in the Netherlands.
, the son of Pierre Gousset and Marguerite Papin; he was a cousin of Denis Papin
. He was a student of Louis Cappel
at Saumur Academy, and then became pastor at Poitiers
.
He left France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, and became professor of the University of Groningen
in 1692.
. Against Isaac of Troki's Chizzuk Emunah he wrote in 1688 (Controversiarum adversus Judaeos ternio), returning to the topic in 1712 (Jesu Christi evangeliique veritas salutifera, demonstrata in confutatione Libri Chizzouk Emounah, a R. Isaco scripti). Considérations théologiques et critiques sur le Projet d'une nouvelle version française de la Bible (1698) criticised the proposal of Charles Le Cène
for a new Bible translation.
As a Hebraist Gousset was identified with the view that the Hebrew language
was the language of divine revelation. He rejected the need for historical or comparative study of the language in order to read the Bible. Gousset published a Hebrew lexicon: Commentarii linguae ebraicae (1702), later editions as Lexicon linguae hebraicae.
He was also a defender of Cartesianism
against occasionalism
. He had known Louis de La Forge
from early life, and had talked to him then on the underlying philosophical issues, and for this reason took him to be the founder of the occasionalist theory.
Life
He was born in BloisBlois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
, the son of Pierre Gousset and Marguerite Papin; he was a cousin of Denis Papin
Denis Papin
Denis Papin was a French physicist, mathematician and inventor, best known for his pioneering invention of the steam digester, the forerunner of the steam engine and of the pressure cooker.-Life in France:...
. He was a student of Louis Cappel
Louis Cappel
Louis Cappel was a French Protestant churchman and scholar.-Life:Cappel, a Huguenot, was born at St Elier, near Sedan. He studied theology at the Academy of Sedan and the Academy of Saumur, and Arabic at the University of Oxford, where he spent two years...
at Saumur Academy, and then became pastor at Poitiers
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
.
He left France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, and became professor of the University of Groningen
University of Groningen
The University of Groningen , located in the city of Groningen, was founded in 1614. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands as well as one of its largest. Since its inception more than 100,000 students have graduated...
in 1692.
Works
He wrote a work in 1687 against the apocalyptic predictions of Pierre JurieuPierre Jurieu
Pierre Jurieu was a French Protestant leader.-Life:He was born at Mer, in Orléanais, where his father was a Protestant pastor. He studied at the Academy of Saumur and the Academy of Sedan under his grandfather, Pierre Du Moulin, and under Leblanc de Beaulieu...
. Against Isaac of Troki's Chizzuk Emunah he wrote in 1688 (Controversiarum adversus Judaeos ternio), returning to the topic in 1712 (Jesu Christi evangeliique veritas salutifera, demonstrata in confutatione Libri Chizzouk Emounah, a R. Isaco scripti). Considérations théologiques et critiques sur le Projet d'une nouvelle version française de la Bible (1698) criticised the proposal of Charles Le Cène
Charles Le Cène
Charles Le Cène was a French Huguenot controversialist, in exile in England and the Netherlands after 1685.-Life:He was born around 1647 at Caen in Normandy, of well-to-do parents. He studied theology at Sedan from 1667 to 1669, and then at the University of Geneva and Saumur Academy...
for a new Bible translation.
As a Hebraist Gousset was identified with the view that the Hebrew language
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
was the language of divine revelation. He rejected the need for historical or comparative study of the language in order to read the Bible. Gousset published a Hebrew lexicon: Commentarii linguae ebraicae (1702), later editions as Lexicon linguae hebraicae.
He was also a defender of Cartesianism
Cartesianism
Cartesian means of or relating to the French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes—from his name—Rene Des-Cartes. It may refer to:*Cartesian anxiety*Cartesian circle*Cartesian dualism...
against occasionalism
Occasionalism
Occasionalism is a philosophical theory about causation which says that created substances cannot be efficient causes of events. Instead, all events are taken to be caused directly by God...
. He had known Louis de La Forge
Louis de La Forge
Louis de La Forge was a French philosopher who in his Tractatus de mente humana expounded a doctrine of occasionalism...
from early life, and had talked to him then on the underlying philosophical issues, and for this reason took him to be the founder of the occasionalist theory.