Introduction
Anslem is an important person to know about when glancing at Historical Theology. He is known as one of the forerunners to a movement known as Scholasticism. Anselm is seen as paving the way to a faith in which seeks understanding. Believing that faith is the starting point of knowledge.
Scholasticism : An approach to Christian theology that arose specifically during the middle ages, which emphasizes rational justification and systematic presentation of the faith.
For Anselm, the goal is to understand more fully what he already believes, by faith.
“I do not seek, Lord, to reach your heights, for my intellect is nothing compared to them. But I seek in some way to understand your truth which my heart believes and loves. For I do not seek to understand in order to believe, but rather believe in order to understand” Anselm of Canterburry from the first chapter of Proslogion.
Faith Life
Anselm was a native to Italy and joined the monastic life in Bec, Normandy in 1060. He was exiled from England for disagreeing with the King on relative authority between the church and state.
Anselm spent much of his life exiled from Canterburry for disagreements with the King. However, it is in exile that he did much of his work and developed one of the most profound arguments for the existence of God. His contributions are still the discussed and widely held as the standard in Western theology.
Contributions to the Christian Faith
Anselm made many great contributions to the Christian faith. Most notably is his Ontological Argument and his Atonement Theories. The Ontological Argument is uses reasoning and logic for the existence of God. In brief, the argument goes as follows.
“When one thinks of God, one is thinking of that than which no greater can be thought. The question is then, is it possible to think of that which no greater can be thought as not existing? Clearly not, for then an existing being would be greater than it. Therefore, by definition, the idea of that which no greater can be thought includes its own existence. To speak of God as not existing makes as much sense as to speak of a triangle with four sides.” (Gonzales 2010, 370).
Let’s Break It Down
Whoa, right?! Let’s break that down a little bit. Though it’s still a bit of a challenge to grasp -let’s attempt it! Here is the thought process of the Ontological Argument.
One : God is the greatest, highest, most spectacularly imaginable being. Nothing greater than this can be thought of in the mind.
Two : It is greater to exist in reality than to merely exist only in the mind
Three : Suppose “something than which nothing greater can be thought” existed only in the mind. Then it would be possible to think of something even greater.
Four : This is impossible – to think of something greater than that which can be thought.
Five : Therefore, “that something than which nothing greater can be thought” must exist in reality as well as in the mind.
Six : Since God is “something than which nothing greater can be thought” God must then also exist in reality.
Implications
If that made your head spin, you’re not alone! This is Historical Theology at it’s finest. This has been studied, debated and talked about amongst theologians and philosophers for centuries! Here’s why I tell you this all though; Still, this is the prevalent thought process for the existence of God within Western Theology today.
This is still the prevalent thought process for the existence of God within Western Theology today!
Taking a look through historical theology allows us the opportunity to have a more clear picture of where we are now. Serving to us the important reminder that our faith is not passive and God never asks us to trust him in blind faith (without evidence). He is trustworthy and we can use our God given reason and logic to not only walk in deeper relationship to Him but as Anselm argues – to confirm what we already believe!
As always, I pray this resource help you to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and with all your mind.
FOR MORE FROM MONICA
Leave a Reply