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Christianity by Trevor Batten Building the Big Picture St. Anselm's Works. -- St. Anselm's best known works are his "Monologium" (Soliloquy) and the "Prosologium" (Continuation of Meditations). In these works he carefully distinguished faith from reason, and became a living and influential opponent of the rationalistic tendencies which had been excited by the writings of Scotus Erigena. He did more. In the two works just mentioned, and in his treatises on the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Procession of the Holy Ghost, on the Sin of Satan, on Original Sin, and "De Conceptu Virginali," he laid the foundations of scientific theology. "Hitherto," writes Mother Drane, "ecclesiastical writers had, for the most part, been content to gather up and reproduce the traditional wisdom of the Fathers; but now, when those traditions had become firmly established, a scientific superstructure was to be raised on that broad foundation, and the theology of the Church was to be built up into a compact and well-ordered system. This was the work of the scholastic theologians, of whom St. Anselm may be considered the first."[10] To appreciate fully the services that he rendered, it must be borne in mind that he was a pioneer in the field in which he labored. Philosophy had been cultivated in Greece and Rome. The Christian Apologists had used reason, had used it well, in defense of their faith. The Fathers of the Church were not strangers to the learning and literature of their times; they were fearless giants, ready at all times to compete with the most powerful adversaries of Christianity. But the defense and explanation of Christian truths had not attained the perfection of a compact and well-ordered system. Many timid souls feared to use what was good in the works of the pagan philosophers. The schoolmaster, however, was abroad in the land: scholars would be misled if their studies were not properly directed; there was need of a saint and scholar who could direct philosophical studies with the assurance that the use of reason would not be detrimental to the Christian faith. This St. Anselm did by his character and career, as well as by his writings, which inaugurated, in the Western Church, the systematic explanation and defense of Christian doctrine. He was a pioneer in determining the true relations between faith and reason, showing that one could be at the same time a great philosopher and a good Christian. Later we shall see how St. Thomas perfected the system which St. Anselm built upon the works of St. Augustine, Boethius and the early Christian Apologists.[11] The work begun by St. Anselm was continued by Peter Lombard, Albertus Magnus, Alexander of Hales, St. Bonaventure and St. Thomas of Aquin, to whom the world is indebted for those celebrated Summae,[12] or Manuals of Theology, which served as the models of all subsequent theological treatises. To St. Anselm is due the honor of inaugurating this important scientific movement, and for this reason he has been called the "Father of the Scholastics." http://www.nd.edu/Departments/Maritain/etext/staamp1.htm#Tradi From: St. Thomas Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy http://www.nd.edu/Departments/Maritain/etext/staamp0.htm by Trevor Batten All creatures great and small..... Whichever picture (big or small) we may actually believe in - surely we can all agree that the world is far too beautiful and mysterious to ignore. Isn't it absurdly dangerous to risk becoming blind to the world simply because we are so busy bashing each other's heads in as the result of an argument over who created it, for which reasons and on which principles? Apparently, this weekend (Sun Apr 27 2003) many Russians (including Putin) are celebrating Easter -and the (orthodox) church in Russia is becoming increasingly popular. On BBC world, John Simpson, in "Simpson's World" hobbled around a hospital in Baghdad discussing patients horrible injuries with the doctors. People are still dying because lack of essential facilities (electricity, water, oxygen) means that most patients cannot be treated because the occupying forces have still not lived up to their obligations to protect the civilian population. One can only assume that the difference between the treatment for Simpson's wounds (received from the invading forces "friendly fire") and the treatment that Iraqis receive for their injuries are worlds apart. Surely it is becoming increasingly obvious that the "reality of American power" is that despite being the most military powerful nation on the planet - America is, in practice, emotionally, morally, politically and possibly economically totally bankrupt! One can only assume that the value of religious beliefs lie not in their ability to demonize others (axis of evil!) -but in their application to help relieve human suffering. One wonders if an honest and open social system can be built on religious believe. European medieval society suggests that such things may not be impossible. Perhaps the mullahs are the most capable individuals to develop, within Iraq, the essential feelings for social responsibility -without which no society can function effectively. Admittedly, initial optimism in Iran rapidly collapsed as an authoritarian regime took over. However, one is also forced to ask how much American opposition to anything which might limit commercial exploitation of a society is responsible for repressive regimes as they are forced to defend themselves from American (overt and covert) aggression. One wonders if a moral and socially responsible government would be tolerated anywhere in the world by any American government let alone by Bush in the middle east, where religious, strategic and economic interests are so closely intertwined. Isn't it absurdly dangerous to risk becoming blind to the world simply because we are so busy earning and spending money? A recent BBC TV programme "Spend, spend, spend" referred to Galbraith's contrast between "private affluence and public squalor" and highlighted both spending junkies and alternative life-styles in a country obviously extremely sick as a result of infection by the consumerist virus. -Spend, spend, spend: http://www.bbc.co.uk/business/features/spend/index.shtml -Does spending make Britain happy?: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2973747.stm -132 (BBC) search results for ""spend, spend"": http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?q=%22spend%2C+spend%22&x=35&y=13\ &recipe=all&scope=all&tab=allbbc -[Announce] PUBLIC SQUALOR BETRAYS OUR NATION'S SOUL: http://comm-org.utoledo.edu/pipermail/announce/2001-March/000104.html -In support of squalor: http://cooperativeindividualism.org/galbraithbio.html -Even homeland security shorted: http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0221/p11s02-cods.htm -Money and the Sustainable Economy: http://www.gmlets.u-net.com/explore/sustain.html |
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