Anselm: A Very Short Introduction

Anselm of Canterbury was a philosopher-theologian of the Latin West who corresponded with kings, nobles, popes, and bishops. He wrote at a time when a renewed interest in logic encouraged careful argumentation, and his ontological argument for the existence of God remains influential. His account of the Atonement is still debated by theologians today.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 136 pages
Publication date: 24 November 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Anselm of Canterbury, a renowned philosopher-theologian of the Latin West, flourished between Augustine and the thirteenth century. As a prominent public figure, particularly as Archbishop of Canterbury, he engaged in correspondence with kings, nobles, popes, and bishops, revealing a captivating personality and delving into the practical implications of his theoretical philosophy. During a time when a renewed interest in logic spurred meticulous and rigorous argumentation, Anselm's writings emerged before the resurgence of Aristotle's philosophy, which introduced complex technical jargon into the philosophical discourse. As a result, his writing stands out for its unparalleled clarity and accessibility. Anselm offers a pioneering account of what is now known as a libertarian view of free will, which asserts that an individual's free choices cannot be predetermined by their internal states or external influences. His renowned ontological argument for the existence of God continues to spark lively discussion, debate, and perplexity. His understanding of God is widely regarded as one of the definitive expressions of classical theism or perfect-being theology, which continues to exert influence in the fields of philosophy of religion and analytic theology. Anselm's account of the Atonement remains a subject of deep contemplation for theologians to this day.

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Weight: 102g
Dimension: 174 x 112 x 8 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192897817