Credo ut intelligam

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Credo ut intelligam ( Latin , "I believe so that I can know") is a short formulation for a theological - philosophical program by Anselm von Canterbury (1033–1109), with which he wants to justify faith rationally, without this justification To make a condition for belief.

Context and interpretation

Credo ut intelligam is based on and in contrast to the theological approach credo quia absurdum ("I believe because it is absurd") formulated (which was previously ascribed to Tertullian or Augustine ) and continues a similar approach from Augustine ( Credimus, ut cognoscamus , "we believe in order to know ”). Anselm's program credo, ut intelligam has become fundamental to scholasticism .

The text Proslogion , in which Anselm draws up this program, contains philosophically and theologically argumentative parts as well as sections in prayer form. The starting point of the work, however, is the now famous unum argumentum ("the one argument"), with which Anselm seeks to prove

“Quia deus vere est, et quia est summum bonum nullo alio indigens, et quo omnia indigent ut sint et ut bene sint, et quaecumque de divina credimus substantia.”

"That God is truthful, and that he is the highest good, which needs no other and of which everything needs to be and to be good, and whatever we believe of the divine being."

In chapters 2–4 he then explains the so-called ontological proof of God , which is the one argument sought .

Anselm emphasizes a strong unity of faith and human reason. Reason is one source of truth alongside others. There is still no theological rationalism or a natural theology as in modern times placed as a source of knowledge against or next to the belief in Scripture, but conversely, belief is enriched by reason.

The reason given by faith seeks insight and justification, but there is still no doubt about faith, as was the case with Descartes' formulation of the ontological proof of God .

The full quote from the Proslogion reads:

"Neque enim quaero intelligere ut credam, sed credo ut intelligam ."

"Because I am not looking to {know, understand, understand} in order to believe, but I believe in order to {know, understand, understand} ."

See also

literature

  • Anselm of Canterbury; Franciscus Salesius Schmitt (Ed.): Proslogion. Investigations. Latin-German edition , Stuttgart-Bad Canntstatt 1962.
  • Eadmer : The Life of St Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury / ed. by Richard William Southern . London et al. 1962.
  • Karl Barth : Fides quaerens intellectum . Anselm's proof of the existence of God in the context of his theological program. Karl Barth Complete Edition, Dept. II, Vol. 13, Zurich (Theologischer Verlag) (1931) 2nd edition 1986, ISBN 3-290-16206-0 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See Salesius Schmitt: Proslogion , 1962, p. 11.
  2. ↑ See Eadmer, p. 30, or Schmitt, p. 31.
  3. ^ S. Anselm of Canterbury: Proslogion , Prooemium.
  4. ↑ Anselm's argument was first given the name “ontological proof of God” through Kant in his Critique of Pure Reason ; see. z. B. Schmitt: Proslogion , p. 13.
  5. ^ S. Anselm of Canterbury: Proslogion , chapter 1.