Anselm of Canterbury
This philosopher and theologian formulated the famous ontological argument for the existence of God in his work, the Proslogion.
- Middle Ages
- Italy
- Feast day April 21
- c. 1033 – 1109
- Doctor of the Church
- Confessor
- Theologian
Anselm of Canterbury (born Aosta, c. 1033 – died Canterbury, April 21, 1109) was a Benedictine monk, abbot of Bec Abbey in Normandy, and later Archbishop of Canterbury. A pivotal figure in scholastic philosophy and Christian theology, he is renowned for his formulation of the ontological argument for the existence of God in his work Proslogion, as well as for his treatise on the Incarnation, Cur Deus Homo. Canonized in 1494, he was declared a Doctor of the Church by Clement XI in 1720. His approach, "faith seeking understanding" (fides quaerens intellectum), profoundly influenced medieval thought.