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Proslogion
Illuminated initial from Anselm's Monologion.jpg
Illuminated initial from the beginning of the prologue to Anselm's Monologion, late 11th century
Author Anselm of Canterbury
Original title Fides quaerens intellectum
Language Medieval Latin
Publication date
 1078
Text Proslogion at Wikisource

The Proslogion is a special kind of prayer or meditation. It was written by a wise medieval church leader named Saint Anselm of Canterbury around 1077-1078. In this book, Anselm explores different qualities of God. He tries to understand how these qualities, which sometimes seem to contradict each other, can all be true about God.

This meditation is famous because it contains the first known philosophical idea called an ontological argument. This argument tries to prove that God exists just by thinking about what God is. The original title for this work was Faith Seeking Understanding.

Understanding God's Existence: Ontological Arguments

The Proslogion is where Saint Anselm first introduced his famous and much-debated ontological arguments for the existence of God. An ontological argument is a way of trying to prove God's existence using only logic and reason. It doesn't rely on experiences or observations.

Anselm's main arguments are found in Chapters II and III of the Proslogion. People have had many different opinions about these arguments since they were first written.

Anselm's First Argument for God's Existence

Anselm's first argument can be understood like this:

  • Idea 1: God is a being so great that you cannot imagine anything greater.
  • Idea 2: If something exists in real life, it is greater than something that only exists in your mind.
  • Idea 3: So, if God only existed in our minds, we could imagine something even greater: a God that also exists in real life.
  • Conclusion: But God is defined as the greatest being we can imagine. Therefore, God must exist in reality, not just in our minds. If God didn't exist in reality, God wouldn't be the greatest being.

Anselm's Second Argument for God's Existence

Here is another way Anselm argued for God's existence:

  • "God" means "that than which nothing greater can be conceived." This is the definition of God.
  • The idea of God is not confusing or impossible to think about.
  • Something that *must* exist (a necessary being) is greater than something that *might not* exist (a contingent being).
  • If you think of God as possibly not existing, then you are not thinking of the greatest possible being. This would be a contradiction.
  • Therefore, God must exist, and God must exist in a way that God cannot *not* exist.

God is Greater Than We Can Imagine

In Chapter XI, Anselm adds an important point. He writes that God is not only a being than which a greater cannot be conceived. God is actually even greater than we *can* conceive or imagine.

Chapters of the Proslogion

The Proslogion is divided into many chapters. Each chapter explores a different idea about God. Here are some of the topics Anselm discusses:

  • Chapter I: Encouraging the mind to think about God.
  • Chapter II: That God Truly Exists.
  • Chapter III: That God Cannot be Thought Not to Exist.
  • Chapter IV: How someone might say God doesn't exist, even though God cannot be thought not to exist.
  • Chapter V: That God is everything good, and God created everything from nothing.
  • Chapter VI: How God can understand things even though God doesn't have a body.
  • Chapter VII: How God is all-powerful, even if God can't do certain things (like make a square circle).
  • Chapter VIII: How God is both kind and cannot feel pain.
  • Chapter IX: How God is fair and merciful to those who do wrong.
  • Chapter X: How God fairly punishes and fairly spares those who do wrong.
  • Chapter XI: How God's ways are full of kindness and truth, and yet God is fair in all ways.
  • Chapter XII: That God is the very life by which God lives.
  • Chapter XIII: How God alone is limitless and eternal, even though other spirits are also eternal.
  • Chapter XIV: How and why people seeking God can both see and not see God.
  • Chapter XV: How God is greater than anything we can think of.
  • Chapter XVI: That God lives in an "inaccessible light."
  • Chapter XVII: That qualities like harmony, fragrance, sweetness, and beauty are in God in a special way.
  • Chapter XVIII: That God has no parts, and God's eternity has no parts.
  • Chapter XIX: That God is not in a specific place or time, but all things are in God.
  • Chapter XX: That God exists before and beyond even all eternal things.
  • Chapter XXI: Discussing what "age of the age" or "ages of the ages" means for God.
  • Chapter XXII: That God alone is truly what God is.
  • Chapter XXIII: That God is equally Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and is the one necessary being who is completely good.
  • Chapter XXIV: Thinking about how wonderful and great this good God is.
  • Chapter XXV: What good things await those who enjoy being with God.
  • Chapter XXVI: Whether this is the "fullness of joy" that God promises.

Translations of the Proslogion

The Proslogion has been translated into many languages. Here is an example from Chapter I:

Chapter I: An Example of Translation

Excerpt from Psalms 27:8:

Original translation, from Latin

Up now, slight man! flee, for a little while, your occupations; hide yourself, for a time, from your disturbing thoughts. Cast aside, now, your burdensome cares, and put away your toilsome business. Yield room for some little time to God; and rest for a little time in him. Enter the inner chamber of your mind; shut out all thoughts save that of God, and such as can aid you in seeking him; close your door and seek him. Speak now, my whole heart! speak now to God, saying, I seek your face; your face, Lord, will I seek (Psalms xxvii. 8). And come you now, O Lord my God, teach my heart where and how it may seek you, where and how it may find you.

Modern translation

Come on now little man, get away from your worldly occupations for a while, escape from your tumultuous thoughts. Lay aside your burdensome cares and put off your laborious exertions. Give yourself over to God for a little while, and rest for a while in Him. Enter into the cell of your mind, shut out everything except God and whatever helps you to seek Him once the door is shut. Speak now, my heart, and say to God, "I seek your face; your face, Lord, I seek.
—translated by Sidney Norton Deane, 1903 —translated by David Burr, 1996


Where to Find the Proslogion

You can find different versions of the Proslogion in books and online:

  • "Proslogion" (in English), from St. Anselm: Basic Writings, edited and translated by S. N. Deane. 1962. Chicago: Open Court. ISBN: 0-87548-109-4.
  • "Anselmus Cantuariensis Proslogion" (in Latin). You can find the original Latin text on The Latin Library. Retrieved July 25, 2006.
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