Pierre Poiret facts for kids
Pierre Poiret Naudé (born April 15, 1646 – died May 21, 1719) was an important French thinker. He was known as a mystic and a Christian philosopher. He was born in Metz and passed away in Rijnsburg.
Pierre Poiret's Life and Work
Early Life and Studies
Pierre Poiret's parents died when he was young. He supported himself by working as an engraver and teaching French. At the same time, he studied theology in different cities. These included Basel, Hanau, and Heidelberg after 1668.
In Basel, he became very interested in the ideas of René Descartes, a famous philosopher. These ideas stayed with him throughout his life. He also read books by Thomas à Kempis and Tauler. A big influence on him was the Dutch Mennonite mystic Hendrik Jansen van Barrefelt (Hiël).
Becoming a Pastor and Meeting Influential People
In 1672, Poiret became a pastor at a French church in Annweiler. Here, he met Elisabeth of the Palatinate, an abbess who was also a mystic. She was the granddaughter of James I of England.
He also learned about the Theologia Germanica and the writings of Antoinette Bourignon. Her ideas were exactly what he was looking for. In 1676, he traveled to the Netherlands to meet her.
Moving to Amsterdam and Publishing Books
Poiret settled in Amsterdam. The next year, he published his book Cogitationes rationales de Deo, anima, et Malo. This book quickly made him famous for his knowledge and deep thinking.
His book followed Descartes' style of thinking. He explained the Trinity using mathematical ideas. He believed that all knowledge should be based on clear facts. The main goal of knowing God, he felt, was to bring divided Christians back together. You can clearly see the influence of Thomas à Kempis and Tauler in his work.
Following Antoinette Bourignon
From the Netherlands, Poiret went to Hamburg to find Antoinette Bourignon. He was very impressed by her when they first met. He became her loyal follower until she died in 1680.
He traveled with her and helped her with her many complicated affairs. After her death, he returned to Amsterdam. He worked to publish all of her writings. He also wrote a strong defense of her and translated another mystic's work. He defended her character and special mission in a book called Mémoire touchant la vie de Mlle. A. Bourignon (1679). He also supported her against critics like Bayle and Seckendorf. Poiret also greatly admired Jane Lead.
Later Life in Rijnsburg
In 1688, Poiret settled in Rijnsburg. There, he focused on his own writings. He also did a lot of work for Dutch booksellers. For example, he helped with the Dutch edition of Thierry Ruinart's work.
Pierre Poiret's ideas were similar to a way of thinking called dispensationalism. Some say he was the first theologian to fully develop this system. He taught that history could be divided into different "dispensations." In each, God worked with people in unique ways. This included a future time called the millennium. Pierre also believed that the nation of Israel would be restored in the future.
Important Writings of Pierre Poiret
Key Works and Ideas
One of his original books was L'Économie divine, ou système universel et démontré des oeuvres et des desseins de Dieu envers les hommes (1687). This book tried to explain Antoinette Bourignon's spiritual visions. Poiret presented them in a clear and logical way.
Another work, La Paix des ames dans tous les partis du Christianisme (1687), looked past the official beliefs of different churches. It spoke to truly sincere Christians. He encouraged them to find inner unity without leaving their own churches.
In De erudition, solida, superfciaria et falsa (1692), he talked about different kinds of knowledge. He said there's a shallow knowledge of names and a true, deep knowledge of things themselves. He believed this true knowledge comes from humbly giving up one's own wisdom.
He also wrote about the philosophical and religious debates of his time. For instance, he wrote against Bayle and his opposition to Baruch Spinoza.
Influence and Legacy
One of his most popular books was a small guide on how to educate children. It first appeared in 1690. This book was translated many times and influenced religious discussions in Hamburg.
His most lasting contribution was Bibliotheca mysticorum selecta (1708). This book showed his amazing knowledge of mystics from ancient times and his own era. It also has valuable information about lesser-known writers. He also published many mystical writings from the Middle Ages and French Pietists of the 1600s.
In 1704, he released a new edition of Mme. Guyon's writings. He added a new essay and an introduction. Even though he admired her, he wasn't a "Quietist" in the usual sense. He believed people should be open to God, not just completely passive.
He disagreed with predestination. He also criticized Pelagianism because it didn't focus on human sinfulness. Similarly, he opposed Socinianism because it didn't give all credit for salvation to God's grace. Even as a mystic, he strongly believed in certain religious ideas, like the Trinity. He always referred to the Bible as an authority.
Recognition and Lasting Impact
After 1680, Poiret lived a quiet life. However, scholars of his time, like Thomasius, Bayle, Jean Le Clerc, and Walch, recognized him as a very learned man. His strong support for Antoinette Bourignon did not harm his good reputation as a devout mystic and honorable person.
His influence continued after his death. This was partly through the work of his spiritual student Tersteegen. It was also because his writings made mysticism respected. This forced regular theologians, like Le Clerc and Buddeus, to consider mystical ideas.
See also
- Christian mystics
- Andrew Michael Ramsay
