John Bate (theologian) facts for kids

John Bate (died 1429) was a smart English or Welsh theologian and philosopher. A theologian studies religious beliefs, and a philosopher thinks deeply about big questions like life and knowledge.

Life of John Bate

Bate was born west of the River Severn in England or Wales. He grew up in a Carmelite monastery in York. The Carmelites are a type of religious order. He learned so much there that he was sent to Oxford University to continue his studies.

Early Life and Education

At Oxford, Bate studied both philosophy and theology. He earned a special degree called a master's degree in both subjects. After this, he became well-known for his writings. People at Oxford University respected his knowledge, and his fame spread.

Becoming a Prior

Leaders of the Carmelite order heard about Bate's skills. Eventually, his fellow Carmelites in York chose him to be their prior. A prior is like a leader of a monastery. Before this, in 1415, he was ordained as a sub-deacon and then a deacon by Clifford, who was the Bishop of London.

His Final Years

Bate likely stayed in his role as prior until February 1429. He became very sick and passed away that year. Another famous writer, Thomas Netter of Walden, spoke highly of Bate.

John Bate was buried in York. His tomb was still there when John Bale wrote about him later. Bale even shared one line from the Latin words on Bate's tomb: Bati doctoris hæc condit petra cadaver. This means, "This stone holds the body of Doctor Bate."

What Did John Bate Write?

John Bate wrote several important books.

His Main Books

Some of his main works that we know about include books on 'Parts of Speech'. He also wrote about 'Universals' by Porphyry, which are ideas about how things are grouped. Another work was about Aristotle's 'Ethics', which explores what is right and wrong.

Bate was also good at understanding Greek.

Different Views on His Work

However, another writer named John Bale had some strong disagreements with Bate's ideas and writings.