Contents
Anselm of Canterbury
Formulating the ontological argument for God’s existence in the Proslogion.
Monologion · Proslogion
- Born
- c. 1033
- Birthplace
- Aosta, Italy
- Died
- 21 April 1109
More people
Anselm of Canterbury
Medieval philosopher, Benedictine monk and Archbishop of Canterbury who used reason to investigate questions of faith.
Early life
Alpine origins
Born in Aosta around 1033; the precise birth year is uncertain.
Monastic study
Travelled north and entered the monastery of Bec in Normandy in 1060.
Career
- 1063–1078
Teacher at Bec
Served as prior and developed his philosophical writings within monastic life.
- 1078–1093
Abbot
Led Bec before becoming Archbishop of Canterbury.
- 1093–1109
Archbishop
Combined church leadership with theological writing and disputes over royal authority.
Ideas & writings
Monologion
An extended rational examination of God’s nature.
Proslogion
Developed the argument now known as the ontological argument.
Cur Deus Homo
Examined why, within Christian belief, God became human.
Beyond work
Exile
Spent periods outside England during conflicts with its kings over church authority.
Letters and friendship
His surviving correspondence records the personal relationships of monastic and ecclesiastical life.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: Unknown artist — late-16th-century engraving, later depiction. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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