John of Reading

Who was John of Reading?

John of Reading was an English Franciscan theologian and scholastic philosopher. He was an early opponent of William of Ockham, and a follower of Duns Scotus. He wrote a commentary on the Sentences around 1320, at the University of Oxford. He argued for the unity of science. John of Reading also is credited with the "Prose for Christmas Day", the source for the Christmas Hymn: O come, all ye faithful.

In 1322 he moved to a teaching position at Avignon, which in modern times is a commune in the Vaucluse department in southeastern France. Reading is buried at Avignon.