{
  "id": "dict_000250",
  "term": "Anselm",
  "slug": "anselm",
  "letter": "A",
  "entry_type": "historical_person",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Anselm of Canterbury was a major medieval Christian theologian and archbishop whose writings shaped Western discussions of faith, reason, and the atonement.",
  "simple_one_line": "Anselm of Canterbury was a medieval archbishop and theologian known for faith seeking understanding and the satisfaction view of the atonement.",
  "tooltip_text": "Medieval archbishop and theologian of Canterbury (1033–1109), best known for the satisfaction view of the atonement and the phrase “faith seeking understanding.”",
  "aliases": [
    "Anselm (Historical)"
  ],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Atonement",
    "Faith and reason",
    "Apologetics",
    "Satisfaction theory"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Cur Deus Homo",
    "Proslogion",
    "Canterbury",
    "Medieval theology"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Anselm of Canterbury (1033–1109) was a Benedictine monk, archbishop of Canterbury, and one of the most influential theologians of the medieval Western church. He is remembered for the phrase “faith seeking understanding,” for his work on the atonement in Cur Deus Homo, and for his philosophical argument for God’s existence in Proslogion.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A medieval Christian theologian and archbishop whose writings helped shape later Western theology.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Best known for Cur Deus Homo and Proslogion",
    "associated with the satisfaction view of the atonement",
    "emphasized that faith seeks understanding",
    "important in church history but not a biblical headword."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Anselm of Canterbury was an influential medieval theologian and church leader whose work shaped later Western theology, especially in relation to the atonement, faith, and reason. He is a significant figure in church history rather than a biblical or doctrinal term.",
  "description_academic_full": "Anselm of Canterbury (1033–1109) was a Benedictine monk, philosopher, and archbishop whose writings became highly influential in medieval Western Christianity. He is especially associated with the principle often summarized as “faith seeking understanding,” the satisfaction account of the atonement developed in Cur Deus Homo, and the ontological argument for God’s existence in Proslogion. Evangelical readers may value some of his insights while still testing all theological claims by Scripture. Because Anselm is a historical theologian rather than a biblical term, this entry should be treated as a church-history article rather than as a normal scriptural dictionary headword.",
  "background_biblical_context": "Anselm’s theology engages biblical themes such as sin, divine justice, reconciliation, and Christ’s saving work. His atonement reflections are often compared with passages like Romans 3:21–26, Hebrews 9–10, and 1 John 2:1–2, though those texts are the authority, not Anselm’s later explanations.",
  "background_historical_context": "Anselm lived in the medieval Latin church and served as archbishop of Canterbury. His work emerged in a context shaped by monastic learning, pastoral responsibility, and medieval debates about reason, theology, and the meaning of Christ’s death.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "Anselm is not a Jewish or Second Temple figure. His theological vocabulary reflects medieval Latin Christianity, though the doctrines he discussed draw on the Hebrew Scriptures and the apostolic witness rooted in the Jewish world of the Bible.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Romans 3:21–26",
    "Hebrews 9:11–28",
    "Hebrews 10:1–18",
    "1 John 2:1–2"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "John 1:1–14",
    "Philippians 2:5–11",
    "Colossians 1:19–20"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Anselm is a Latinized personal name, not a biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek term. The entry refers to a historical person, not to a scriptural vocabulary item.",
  "theological_significance": "Anselm’s satisfaction theory of the atonement influenced later Western theology and helped frame discussion of sin, divine honor, justice, and Christ’s saving death. His famous phrase “faith seeking understanding” also became a classic summary of the Christian life of thought.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "Anselm argued that reason can serve faith rather than replace it. His ontological argument attempts to reason from the concept of God to God’s existence, and it remains important in the history of philosophy and apologetics even among Christians who do not find the argument decisive.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Anselm is a historical witness, not an authority equal to Scripture. His medieval categories should be evaluated by the Bible, and later Protestant theology did not simply adopt all of his formulations unchanged.",
  "major_views_note": "Best known for Cur Deus Homo and Proslogion; associated with the satisfaction view of the atonement and the ontological argument for God’s existence.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "Use Anselm to illuminate theology and church history, but do not treat his formulations as normative doctrine. Any account of the atonement or Christian reasoning must remain subject to Scripture alone.",
  "practical_significance": "Anselm encourages careful theological reflection, reverence for Christ’s saving work, and humble pursuit of understanding in service to faith.",
  "meta_description": "Anselm of Canterbury was a medieval Christian theologian and archbishop known for the satisfaction view of the atonement and faith seeking understanding.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/anselm/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/anselm.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}