• The sentences soon attained immense popularity, ultimately becoming the text-book in almost every theological school, and giving rise to endless commentaries, over 180 of these being written in England. 1911 Encyclopedia
• By the 13th cent., the Sentences had become the principal theological text in the universities, and many of the greatest scholastics wrote commentaries on it. Columbia Encyclopedia
• Peter's book remained the standard theology textbook in European universities until the XVI Century. (In the XIII Century, Roger Bacon complained that many students read Sentences instead of the Scriptures.) The Ecole Glossary
• To make the task of students and professors easier, the well-read teacher[Peter Lombard] gathered crucial quotes from the main authorities into one work. The result was his Four Books of Sentences.
Peter arranged quotes from the Bible and from the church Fathers by topics in divisions called books. He subdivided all this material under questions. Since the authorities often did not agree, he analyzed their language and gave his own resolution between them. But when it suited him, he made no attempt to resolve their differences. On the whole, little in the work was original with him--which was as he intended.
In spite of this, the Sentences became the foremost theology textbook of the thirteenth century, admired for their superb organization. Long after Peter died, which is sometimes given as this day, July 20, 1164,** his work was the standard text in universities. In fact, it held a prominent place until the sixteenth century. It was more popular than Thomas Aquinas' writings. Christian History Institute
Oxford University Press: Peter Lombard - Philipp W. Rosemann
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