# Anselm of Canterbury

> 11th‑century Benedictine monk, Archbishop of Canterbury, philosopher and theologian

**Wikidata**: [Q43939](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q43939)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anselm_of_Canterbury)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/anselm-of-canterbury

## Summary
Anselm of Canterbury was a Benedictine monk, philosopher, and prelate renowned for his foundational contributions to Christian theology and philosophy. Born in the Kingdom of France, he served as Archbishop of Canterbury and authored seminal works such as *Cur Deus Homo* and *Proslogion*, which shaped scholastic thought and influenced later scholars like Thomas Aquinas.

## Biography
- **Born**: [No date/place specified in source material]  
- **Nationality**: [Not explicitly stated]  
- **Education**: [No details provided]  
- **Known for**: Authoring influential philosophical and theological works, including *Cur Deus Homo*, *Monologion*, and *Proslogion*.  
- **Employer(s)**: Benedictine Order, Archbishop of Canterbury  
- **Field(s)**: Philosophy, theology, Catholic priesthood  

## Contributions
- **Cur Deus Homo**: Essay exploring the theological rationale for the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.  
- **Monologion**: Philosophical treatise on the existence of God through reason.  
- **Proslogion**: Meditative work on faith and the nature of divine existence, famously introducing the ontological argument for God’s existence.  

## FAQs
- **What roles did Anselm of Canterbury hold?**  
  He was a Benedictine monk, philosopher, theologian, Latin Catholic priest, and Archbishop of Canterbury.  
- **What are his most notable writings?**  
  His key works include *Cur Deus Homo*, *Monologion*, and *Proslogion*, which remain central to medieval philosophy and theology.  
- **How is he remembered today?**  
  He is honored as the namesake of Saint Anselm College in the U.S. and the insect genus *Anselmella*.  

## Why They Matter
Anselm of Canterbury laid the groundwork for scholasticism, bridging faith and reason in ways that profoundly influenced Western philosophy and theology. His ontological argument for God’s existence sparked centuries of debate, engaging thinkers such as René Descartes, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and Karl Barth. Without his rigorous integration of theology and logic, the development of medieval thought—and later movements like Protestant Reformation theology—would lack a critical foundation.

## Notable For
- Benedictine monk and Archbishop of Canterbury.  
- Author of *Cur Deus Homo*, *Monologion*, and *Proslogion*.  
- Namesake of Saint Anselm College and the genus *Anselmella*.  
- Developer of the ontological argument for God’s existence.  

## Body

### Career and Roles
Anselm of Canterbury was a multifaceted figure: a **Benedictine monk**, **Latin Catholic priest**, and **archbishop**. He led the Archbishopric of Canterbury, a position of significant religious and political authority, while simultaneously advancing philosophical and theological discourse through his writings.

### Philosophical and Theological Works
- **Cur Deus Homo** (“Why God Became Man”): This essay systematically examines the necessity of the Incarnation, blending theological doctrine with rational inquiry.  
- **Monologion**: A philosophical dialogue asserting God’s existence through observable order and human reason, reflecting Anselm’s belief in the harmony of faith and intellect.  
- **Proslogion**: Best known for formulating the **ontological argument**, which posits God’s existence as a necessary truth, this work epitomizes Anselm’s method of “faith seeking understanding” (*fides quaerens intellectum*).  

### Legacy and Influence
Anselm’s ideas permeated medieval scholarship, directly impacting **Thomas Aquinas**, who engaged with his arguments in *Summa Theologica*. Later thinkers such as **René Descartes** and **Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz** revisited Anselm’s ontological argument, while **Karl Barth** and **Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel** critiqued or expanded his theological frameworks. Institutions like **Saint Anselm College** (founded 1889) and the scientific community (honoring him in the genus *Anselmella*) further cement his enduring legacy.  

### Connections and Impact
- **Key Thinkers**: Anselm’s works influenced **William of Ockham**’s nominalism and **Barth**’s neo-orthodoxy, demonstrating his cross-denominational reach.  
- **Cultural Presence**: Beyond theology, his name endures in education and science, reflecting his universal intellectual appeal.  

Anselm of Canterbury’s synthesis of faith and reason remains a cornerstone of Western intellectual history, ensuring his relevance across philosophy, theology, and beyond.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978)
3. BeWeB
4. Catholic-Hierarchy.org
5. Mirabile: Digital Archives for Medieval Culture
6. International Standard Name Identifier
7. CiNii Research
8. MusicBrainz
9. Saint Anselm. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
10. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
11. Calendarium Romanum Generale (1969)
12. Virtual International Authority File
13. Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani
14. A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints
15. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
16. Enciclopedia Treccani
17. LIBRIS. 2012
18. Treccani Philosophy
19. FactGrid
20. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands
21. HMML Authority File
22. Digital Scriptorium Catalog
23. Catalogo of the National Library of India