Dicunt denique Deum suum esse corporeum. Conoscenze eterodosse e gnosticismo ebraico in età carolingia nella testimonianza di Agobardo di Lione

This study investigates some of the views held by Agobard, bishop of Lyon (769-840), on the Jews and their religious beliefs, as documented in some of his writings, transmitted almost exclusively by the ms. BNF, Lat. 2853. About the attitude to have towards the Jews, Agobard was in harsh disagreement with the king Louis the Pious, who was too inclined, in his opinion, to favor the Jews even in delicate situations, such as the baptism of slaves held and sold by Jewish owners. Despite the various attempts to discredit the Jews in the eyes of the monarch, Agobard recognized the Jews’ right to live and to be respected, but also demanded their separation from Christian society. It is discussed here, in the first place, Agobard’s point of view on Jewish religiosity in relation to Christian heterodoxy, briefly presenting the passages of his writings in which heretics and Jews are approached directly. The question of divine corporeality is addressed, as Agobard provides an isolated testimony on special doctrines circulating among the Jews with whom he was in contact, and on some heterodox theses on the origin of Evil.