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c. 325 – 636 AD
Vincent of Lérins
died c. 445 AD
Lérins Abbey (island off the southern coast of France)
Overview
A monk best known for the Vincentian Canon: true catholic doctrine is what has been believed "everywhere, always, and by all."
Did You Know?
He likely wrote in the shadow of the debates stirred by Augustine's teaching on grace and predestination, seeking a rule for doctrinal continuity.
Major Writings
The Commonitory (Commonitorium)
His primary surviving work. It is a guide for the perplexed believer on how to distinguish truth from new heresies. This is the source of the "Vincentian Canon"—the rule that true doctrine is that which has been believed "everywhere, always, and by all."
ReadRead Vincent of Lérins’s Commentary
See what Vincent of Lérins wrote about Scripture. Open any book in the Bible reader and switch to the Commentary tab to find their insights.
Open Bible ReaderHistorical Context
The Golden Age: Latin (Western) Fathers
The Western teachers whose preaching, biblical scholarship, monastic vision, and doctrinal battles shaped Latin Christianity for centuries.
11 Church Fathers in this era
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Part of The Golden Age: Latin (Western) Fathers