The scientific basis of Robert Grosseteste’s teaching at the Oxford Franciscan School

Two different opinions have directed modern historiography with reference to Grosseteste’s teaching to the friars at Oxford in the years 1229-1235. On one hand, the English master has been considered the first promoter of the friars’ long-lasting interests in experimental science, optics and mathematics. On the other, it seems that Grosseteste’s teaching was essentially theological and based on the Bible as a preparation for evangelization and preaching. This contribution challenges these two views by presenting Grosseteste as a scholar, who took seriously the task of grounding his pupils in Biblical instruction for the benefit of their preaching. Notwithstanding his writings and sermons from this period made extensive use of scientific references, mainly connected to the behaviour of light and the nature of colour, my intention is to demonstrate that these references were not related to a curriculum in sciences, but were a sort of didactic tool to illustrate how to deal with theological issues in readily understandable language. This device, which obviously reveals only one aspect of Grosseteste’s teaching methodology, was an exemplification of how to preach to lay men and women, a fundamental purpose of the friars’ theological learning.