The Interplay among Alchemy, Theology and Philosophy in the Late Middle Ages: The Cases of Roger Bacon and John of Rupescissa

Abstract

During the Late Middle Ages, alchemy attracted the interest of many eminent scholars, yet alchemy´s constant failure to produce the philosopher´s stone veiled the art with a cloak of scorn. In this article, I examine the cases of Roger Bacon and of John of Rupescissa, both of whom entwined alchemy with philosophy and theology, portraying the hermetic art as a salutary practice for humanity and the Church. Therefore, my scrutiny of their works aims to demostrate alchemy´s desire, albeit somewhat implicit, for recognition and legitimization.