Book 2: Chapter 8, John the Scot Summary and Analysis

John the Scot was an Irishman, a Neoplatonist, a Greek scholar, a Pelagian, and pantheist. He had a patron in form of Charles the Bald, king of France.

Ireland had a significant Christian influence even before Saint Patrick's arrival. The learned men had too flee from Attila, the Goths, and Vandals, who invaded Gauls. Some went to England and some to Ireland, transferring the knowledge, and causing the adoption of Greek and Latin classics among the Irish. The Latin language was studied in Ireland from the scholar's point of view and later the Irish scholars fled to the Continent.

Many philosophers became refugees from Persia while at the time of Justinian, Persia became their destination. The learning involved monasteries but was free from the contact with Rome but regarded Pope.

John the Scot...