Clear all
Work #152 · Late

Cur Deus Homo

Anselm of Canterbury
1094–1098 (Capua and Canterbury) · Medieval Latin
Two-book dialogue · Medieval Christian theology / Anselmian scholasticism

Sin is an infinite offence against God's honour requiring infinite satisfaction — which only the God-man can offer

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Cur Deus Homo (Late)
Time · Extent Both
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Both
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Finite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Finite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Multiple
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Total
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Both
Observer · Agency Active
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Personal
Observer · Moral Authority Scripture
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Finite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Cur Deus Homo

The Incarnation is a real temporal event in real history. Standard medieval Christian framework.

Space

Cur Deus Homo

Standard background.

Matter

Cur Deus Homo

Real bodily existence is the medium of the incarnation and the cross.

Observer

Cur Deus Homo

The Anselmian observer is the rational believer reaching theological understanding through demonstration ("faith seeking understanding"). Active, plural, embodied; metaphysical agency unambiguously personal.

Energy

Cur Deus Homo

Standard medieval doctrine of divine sustenance.

Information

Cur Deus Homo

Christ's atoning work is a real historical-cosmic event whose informational consequences are eternal. Personal information conserved through resurrection.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Cur Deus Homo

Anselm's feudal-honour framework — modelled on the lord-vassal relations of his society — has been criticised as time-bound. The substitution-language has been criticised by Christus-Victor advocates (Aulén, 1931) as missing the cosmic-conflict dimensions of patristic atonement theology. Modern Reformed and evangelical defenders (Stott, Jeffery-Ovey-Sach) have developed sophisticated responses.