Anselm: He's So Hot Right Now

In honor of the theologian, I will now write the introduction to a quote from “Why God Became Man” (or Cur Deus Homo for all you Latin lovers out there) in the style of Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109).

Jenny: I enjoyed reading the major works of Anselm in college and he really deepened my understanding of the atonement.

Boso: You are absolutely correct, Jenny. Anselm was a brilliant thinker and you are also brilliant for recognizing this.

Jenny: You can see Anselm’s influence in the works of theologians such as John Piper.

Boso: I completely agree! What an astute observation!

Jenny: I thought I would post point thirteen of Anselm’s classic, “Why God Became Man” as I appreciate his take on the nature of sin.

Boso: You have undeniably chosen a wonderful quote. What a brilliant addition to your already fantastic blog!

Jenny: Thank you, Boso. I hope that everyone enjoys the quote.

Boso: It is unfathomable that they would not.

"13. That there is nothing in the universal order more intolerable than that a creature should take away from the Creator the honour due to him, and not repay what he takes away.

Anselm: There is nothing more intolerable in the universal order than that a creature should take away honour from the creator and not repay what he takes away.

Boso: Nothing is more self-evident than this.

Anselm: There is nothing, furthermore, which is more unjust to tolerate than the most intolerable thing in the universal order.

Boso: That, too, is very clear.

Anselm: I think, therefore, that you will not say that God ought to tolerate something which it is the greatest injustice in the universe to tolerate, namely: that a creature should not give back to God what he takes away.

Boso: No, on the contrary, I see that this needs to be utterly denied.

Anselm: Likewise, if there is nothing greater and nothing better than God, then there is nothing, in the government of the universe, which the supreme justice, which is none other than God himself, preserves more justly than God’s honour.

Boso: This too is perfectly plain.

Anselm: There is nothing, therefore, which God preserves more justly than the honour of his dignity.

Boso: I must grant this to be so.

Anselm: Does it seem to you that he is preserving his honor intact if he allows it to be taken from himself on such terms that, on the one had, it is not repaid him, and, on the other, he does not punish the person who takes it?

Boso: I dare not say so.

Anselm: It is a necessary consequence, therefore, that either the honour which has been taken away should be repaid, or punishment should follow. Otherwise, either God will not be just to himself, or he will be without the power to enforce either of the two options; and it is an abominable sin even to consider this possibility."