Robert Grosseteste, one of the outstanding English bishops of the thirteenth century, rose to preeminence in the Church from humble beginnings in Suffolk. He distinguished himself as a scholar in all branches of study—law, medicine, languages, sciences, and theology.

He was appointed Master of the Oxford School, and first teacher of theology to the Franciscans, when they established a house at Oxford. Grosseteste translated Aristotle’s works from the Greek, wrote commentaries on them, and sought to refute the philosopher’s views by developing a scientific method based on Augustine’s theories. Because of Grosseteste, Oxford began to emphasize the study of the sciences, especially physics, geometry, and mathematics. One notable pupil of Grosseteste was Roger Bacon, a brilliant proponent of the scientific method. Both as teacher and bishop, Grosseteste had a strong influence on John Wycliffe.