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Anselm of Canterbury - brief bio (1033-1109)

Anselm of Canterbury, also known as Anselm of Bec, was born in the Val D'Aosta in northern Italy in 1033. After the death of his mother, his relationship with his father was strained, and he spent many years wandering around what is now France until he settled at the abbey of Bec in Normandy, where he became a Benedictine monk at the age of 27 (1060). The monastery had only been in existence for 25 years and its original abbot, Herluin, was still there. Anselm was taught by Lanfranc (1005-1089). When Lanfranc moved on, Anselm became the main teacher at the abbey, and later, in 1078, abbot. 

Anselm was involved in controversies with Gaunilo (over arguments used by Anselm in his work Proslogion), and with Roscelin (over Trinitarian heresy)

The Bec monastery was in Normandy, which at the time had strong connections with England, which had been conquered by the Normans in 1066. Anselm was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093.

Anselm stood up for the rights of the church against the King of England, William II, over issues such as taxes for war, and secular interference in church appointments (the investiture controversy). 

Anselm's major work, Cur Deus Homo? (Why did God become man?), was written from about 1093 onwards and finished between 1097 and 1100. In 1098, Anselm attended the Council of Bari where attempts were made to mend the 1056 schism between the western Catholic church centred at Rome and the Eastern Orthodox Church centred at Constantinople. In this connection, in 1102, Anselm wrote a book on the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Son as well as the Father - one of the key points of disagreement which had led to the schism.  

Anselm found himself in exile again in 1103-1107 in disagreement with the new English king, Henry I. In obedience to the Pope, Anselm then returned to his post in England, but died in 1109. 


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