“Anselm: Faith Seeking Understanding”

Alright, so after I finished writing a few blogs earlier, I went back to reading for my History of Christianity class, and read a very interesting document in my textbook.  It’s so interesting in fact that I felt the need to sign back on and write another blog, giving anyone who reads this the chance to read it.  Anselm lived from 1033-1109 and this writing was pleasingly humorous and amusing at the same time it was confusing and interesting.  Yes, I definitely got confused while reading this, but all in all it was amusing and interesting.  Wish I could argue like him.

This is from “A Summary of Christian History” by Robert A. Baker and John M. Landers, 3rd edition, published by B&H Publishing Group in Nashville, Tennessee in 2005, on pages 130-131.

(the first paragraph is commentary about the writing from the book’s author’s and then the next paragraph starts Anselm’s actual writing)

“Anselm of Canterbury was one of the earliest scholastics and one of the most original thinkers of the Middle Ages.  He tried to interrelate faith and reason, but he argued that we must believe in God if we are to understand him.  In the following passage Anselm argues that God is the Being of which we cannot imagine a greater.  This has sometimes been called the ontological argument for the existence of God.

O Lord, who grantest to faith understanding, grant unto me that, so far as Thou knowest it to be expedient for me, I may understand that Thou art, as we believe; and also that Thou art what we believe Thee to be.  And of a truth we believe that Thou art somewhat than which no greater can be conceived.  Is there than nothing real that can be thus described?  For the fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.  Yet surely even that fool himself when he hears me speak of somewhat than which nothing greater can be conceived understands what he hears, and what he understands is in his understanding, even if he does not understand that it really exists.  It is one thing for a thing to be in the understanding, and another to understand that the thing really exists.  For when a painter considers the work which he is to make, he has it indeed in his understanding; but he doth not yet understand that really to exist which as yet he has not made.  But when he has painted his picture, then he both has the picture in his understanding, and also understands it really to exist.  Thus even the fool is certain that something exists, at least in his understanding, than which nothing greater can be conceived; because, when he hears this mentioned, he understands it, and whatsoever is understood, exists in the understanding.  And surely that than which no greater can be conceived cannot exist only in the understanding.  For if it exists indeed in the understanding only, it can be thought to exist also in reality; and real existence is more than existence in the understanding only.  If then that than which no greater can be conceived exists in the understanding only, then that than which no greater can be conceived is something a greater than which can be conceived; this is is impossible.  Therefore it is certain that something than which no greater can be conceived exists both in the understanding and also in reality.

Not only does this something than which nothing greater conceived exist, but it exists in such a true sense that it cannot even be conceived not to exist.  For it is possible to form the conception of an object whose nonexistance shall be inconceivable; and such an object is of necessity greater than any object whose existance is conceivable.  So if that than which no greater can be conceived can be conceived not to exist, it follows that that than which no greater can be conceived is thing but that which no greater can be conceived [for there can be thought a greater than it, namely, an object whose nonexistance shall be inconceivable]; and this brings us to a contradiction.  And thus it is proved that that thing than which no greater can be conceived exists in so true a sense that it cannot even be conceived not to exist:  and this thing art Thou, O Lord my God, existest in so true a sense that Thou canst not even be conceived not to exist.  And this thing is fitting.  For if any mind could conceive something better than Thee, then the creature would be ascending above the Creator, and judging the Creator; which is a supposition very absurd.  Thou therefore does exist in a truer sense than all else beside Thee, and art more real than all else beside Thee; because whatever else existeth, existeth in a less true sense than Thou, and therfore is less real than Thou.  Why then said the fool in his heart, There is no God, when it is so plain to rational mind that Thou art more real than anything else?  Why, except that he is a fool indeed?”

I found this to be pretty interesting.  He kind of lost me at points with all the then that than which’s and all the other highly used phrases, but I thought it was really neat and a strong argument.  Just wanted to pass it along, and I thought me typing it out might have helped me understand it a little more….

~Sarah

Update on the house situation…

So when we moved from Florida to Tennessee, since our house didn’t sell yet, my parents had to find someone selling a home that would do a lease/purchase deal.  They found a builder that would and we moved into the house in early August.  But the contract is coming up to an end (after 6 months) and the house down in Florida hasn’t sold yet, so my parents won’t be able to close on the house we moved into.  And after talking to the builder about extending the contract, that won’t happen, so my parents spent the weekend looking at houses in the same area.  More will be figured out in a few days, but once again, my parents have to move, even if it’s just down the road.  It’s still exhausting and a burden on my parents, but they have been so strong and have had so much faith through all of this, it really has encouraged me and made me so proud of my parents and how they are handling all of these trials.  My family definitely knows about trials, especially these last 4 years, and each one has made them stronger and given them more faith.  My dad’s company still hasn’t moved to Memphis, and in fact the company keeps pushing back the date for when they will move from Virginia, and so once again my dad has to figure out all this housing and moving stuff from a distance while working and commuting back and forth and so on.  Moving is hard when you are living at home, let alone being a couple states away and only home on the weekends, and also having to bargain to figure out someone who will do a lease/purchase.  Hopefully someone will be open to that.  Cory and I will be going to help them move in a couple weekends…should be interesting, since I feel like we just did that.  Anyway, I’m just really proud of how my parents have handled things.  I know it is so hard for them and I know these past couple of years have been anything but easy; they continue to show all 4 of us kids their love and devotion to our family and strength that will pull through.

~Sarah

Just some thoughts…

I realize that when I find time to get away from schoolwork and stuff and update this blog, I usually write a couple entries.  I should probably try to span it out a little more, but for now I’ll do what I can.  I have come to a clear realization that I am unhappy with how unhealthy I have allowed myself to be.  I’m not happy with myself for how I have allowed myself to put exercising and eating right at a very low priority.  And I have made a distinct decision in my mind to move my health higher on my priority list.  Although all of 2008 my health was very much at the forefront of my mind, as I was daily dealing with health related issues, I think it caused me to see that some health problems you can’t prevent, some just come for no reason at all.  And so I slacked off, and frankly didn’t care very much about exercising or eating right.  For one thing, I couldn’t exercise, part of the time I could barely even walk.  But putting all the excuses and negatives aside, it’s time for me to start caring.  I know that there are things you can’t prevents, and sometimes God allows us to suffer for reasons we won’t know till we see Him face to face.  But as Cory and I say “I do what I can in the time that I’m given,” and thats what I plan to do.  I want to start being healthier now, for the glory of my Savior, for my family and my future family, for my current health and my future health, for my happiness.  No I can’t prevent every disease or every physical hardship, but I can affect the quality of my life and put a priority on my health.  I’ve overcome the whole not caring anymore attitude…I’m past that part and ready to care, I’m ready to show God that the body that He has given me is worth taking care of and preserving, He is worth it.  I don’t know if all that made sense, but I’m just typing out some of my emotions and things I’ve been internally dealing with recently…not trying to complain, just typing out some thoughts as I switch around some priorities.

~Sarah

J-Term

It has been interesting for Cory and I to go to school for this J-term (January term/Winter term).  Basically we are both getting 6 credits, taking 2 classes, in 4 weeks.  Instead of the every other day 50 min. classes, we have class everyday and it is for an hour and 50 minutes.  So this semester has been quite a journey, even as we are just a week and a half into it.  It is nice to not have a crowded campus and its nice being able to achieve these credits in such a short amount of time.  But on the other hand you don’t realize what a challenge it really is.  Before this term started I was thinking it wasn’t going to be hard at all and would be quite relaxing.  But I was definitely wrong.  I am just as busy with classes and schoolwork as in a normal semester.  Cory is taking both World Civ. I and II, and I am taking World Lit. I and History of Christianity.  We don’t see each other very often but it has been a growing experience for us trying to encourage each other through the craziness of this semester, and preparing for the extreme craziness of the spring semester.  I really didn’t expect J-term to be this demanding, but it surely is.  Both of my classes require a lot of reading and both have papers due in it, and it basically takes up every hour that I am awake.  (Although I did fit the season premier of 24 in, of course )  So all in all, it has been nice to be back at school, and transition, somewhat, into the spring semester, but it is a definite struggle keeping up with such a fast pace.  We’ll see how the rest of this semester goes.

~Sarah