Edward Cairns, Ph.D.: "Christianity Through the Centuries:" Ch.13--Medie...

Medieval Learning and Worship. The scholastics were varied in this period. Cairns points to Aristotle, Maimonides, and Alexander of Hales. Aristotle’s logic was influential, especially with the Dominican Aquinas. There was realists, moderate realists and nominalists. Anselm was a realist. Abelard, opposed by Anselm and Bernard, was a moderate realist. Roscellinus and Occam were nominalists. Cairns asserts that nominalists focused on individuals and were forerunners of empiricists, positivists and pragmatists. Nominalism versus realism dominated between 1050 and 1150 with the realism of Anselm and Bernard prevailing. Moderate realism carried the day between 1150 and 1300 with Aquinas prevailing. After 1350, nominalism took the lead. Anselm (1033-1109), born in northern Italy, serving as Abbot of Bec and later as Canterbury’s Chief Leader, wrote the Monologium, Proslogium, and Cur Deus Homo. Cairn calls his view of the atonement a “theory,” being both commercial and judicial, replacing the theory of a payment to the Devil. Cairn’s word “theory” begs more questions and he offers no answers.