Sadler's Lectures Is God's Justice Unmerciful in Anselm's Cur Deus Homo? - Sadler's Lectures
Dec 4, 2025
The podcast dives into Anselm of Canterbury's intriguing exploration of the compatibility of divine mercy and justice. It addresses the tension between these two attributes and how Anselm navigates this complex relationship in his work. Key topics include the necessity of the Incarnation and how it resolves issues of justice. Anselm’s responses to objections from unbelievers and his argument for Christ's sacrifice as a perfect satisfaction of justice and mercy are also discussed. The conversation emphasizes intellectual engagement with these philosophical concepts.
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Complexity Of Mercy And Justice
- Anselm treats the tension between divine mercy and justice as a deep rational problem requiring complex analysis.
- He warns against oversimplified accounts and seeks a richer theological and philosophical reconciliation.
Fittingness Shapes Theological Reasoning
- Anselm insists fittingness and beauty matter in theological reasoning and aren't mere ornamentation.
- He argues careful rational inquiry can reveal a 'beautiful' coherence in doctrine beyond crude simplifications.
Avoid Oversimplified Theological Accounts
- Avoid oversimplified theological explanations that ignore fittingness and interconnected doctrines.
- Engage in careful rational inquiry to better align your understanding with the realities discussed by Anselm.
