Libert Froidmont

Who was Libert Froidmont?

Libert Froidmont, born Haccourt-Liège 3 sep 1587 as son of Gerard Libert de Froidmont and Marguerite Radoux and died in Louvain 28 oct 1653, was a Belgian theologian and scientist. He has been a close companion to Cornelius Jansen and corresponded with René Descartes. A picture of Libertus Fromundus can be found at.

Froidmont was educated by the Jesuits in his natal Haccourt Liège and studied philosophy in Louvain at the Falcon college. He became friends with Jansenius but did not pursue his studies and instead went to teach first at Antwerp and later back at Louvain. His scientific interests lead him to publish on physics and mathematics. Acknowledging him as an authority on Meteors, Descartes sent him his Essais which Froidmont received rather critically. The scientific revolution may have been underway but Froidmont, who was well informed on many scientific matters, kept a traditionalist Aristotelian view. While teaching philosophy he also started studying theology and obtained a doctorate in 1628. Meanwhile he had become close to Jansenius who left to his care the posthumous publication of the Augustinus. Froidmont inherited from him the chair in Scripture at Louvain.