Q0048
“Faith seeking understanding.” — Anselm of Canterbury (Proslogion, Preface)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Proslogion, Preface. Theme: faith.
English
Faith seeking understanding.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Proslogion, Preface and files it under Scholasticism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Anselm of Canterbury
Anselm of Canterbury (1033–1109) was a Benedictine theologian, prior and abbot of Bec, then archbishop of Canterbury amid investiture conflicts with English kings. Born in Aosta, he brought a rigorous “faith seeking understanding” to Latin scholastic theology.
How to read this passage
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Anselm of Canterbury and Averroes), faith is framed through Islamic Philosophy and Scholasticism. Some passages define faith; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through faith, reason, inquiry.
Concepts in this quote
- Faith
- Faith appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat faith as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Reason
- Reason is the capacity to give and assess reasons—central to logic, science, ethics, and public argument.
- Inquiry
- Inquiry is the disciplined pursuit of better questions and answers—philosophy as method rather than dogma.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Anselm of Canterbury. (n.d.). Faith seeking understanding. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0048
MLA: Anselm of Canterbury. “Faith seeking understanding..” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0048.
Chicago: Anselm of Canterbury. “Faith seeking understanding..” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0048.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Faith seeking understanding.”?
The passage is attributed to Anselm of Canterbury, Proslogion, Preface. The archive attributes this English wording to Proslogion, Preface and files it under Scholasticism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Anselm of Canterbury mean by faith?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Anselm of Canterbury and Averroes), faith is framed through Islamic Philosophy and Scholasticism. Some passages define faith; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through faith, reason, inquiry.