THE ATONEMENT SERIES: PART 4
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QUESTION: We are told many places in Scripture to honor God. But if we do things that do not honor God, is God somehow robbed of honor? That is, is it possible for God’s honor to increase and/or decrease?
ST. ANSELM OF CANTERBURY was born in Italy and, at age 27, joined a Benedictine monastery in Normandy called Bec. After fifteen years at Bec, in 1078, Anselm was unanimously elected as abbot. Anselm was a serious theologian and developed his theology with a strictly rational and philosophical approach. As such, he is generally recognized as the founder of scholasticism. Anselm is most famous for the development of the ontological argument for the existence of God. In theology circles, he is also known for describing the practice of theology as “faith seeking understanding,” or fides quaerens intellectum in Latin. Anselm was also the originator of the Satisfaction theory of atonement. He presents a detailed defense of his Satisfaction theory in his great and influential work with the Latin title of Cur Deus Homo, which means “Why God Became Man.” Our readings are from Cur Deus Homo, which is written as a dialogue between Anselm and his pupil Boso.
READING:
Boso. What is the debt which we owe to God?
Anselm. Every wish of a rational creature should be subject to the will of God.
Boso. Nothing is more true.
Anselm. This is the debt which man and angel owe to God, and no one who pays this debt commits sin; but everyone who does not pay it sins. This is justice, or uprightness of will, which makes a being just or upright in heart, that is, in will; and this is the sole and complete debt of honor which we owe to God, and which God requires of us. For it is such a will only, when it can be exercised, that does works pleasing to God; and when this will cannot be exercised, it is pleasing of itself alone, since without it no work is acceptable. He who does not render this honor which is due to God, robs God of his own and dishonors him; and this is sin. Moreover, so long as he does not restore what he has taken away, he remains in fault; and it will not suffice merely to restore what has been taken away, but, considering the contempt offered, he ought to restore more than he took away. For as one who imperils another’s safety does not enough by merely restoring his safety, without making some compensation for the anguish incurred; so he who violates another’s honor does not enough by merely rendering honor again, but must, according to the extent of the injury done, make restoration in some way satisfactory to the person whom he has dishonored. We must also observe that when anyone pays what he has unjustly taken away, he ought to give something which could not have been demanded of him, had he not stolen what belonged to another. So then, everyone who sins ought to pay back the honor of which he has robbed God; and this is the satisfaction which every sinner owes to God. […] [Anselm, Cur Deus Homo, Book 1, Ch. 11]
Anselm. Therefore the honor taken away must be repaid, or punishment must follow; otherwise, either God will not be just to himself, or he will be weak in respect to both parties; and this it is impious even to think of.
Boso. I think that nothing more reasonable can be said. […] [Anselm, Cur Deus Homo, Book 1, Ch. 13]
Anselm. No member of the human race except Christ ever gave to God, by dying, anything which that person was not at some time going to lose as a matter of necessity. Nor did anyone ever pay a debt to God which he did not owe. But Christ of his own accord gave to his Father what he was never going to lose as a matter of necessity, and he paid, on behalf of sinners, a debt which he did not owe.
Boso. There can be nothing more logical, nothing sweeter, nothing more desirable that the world can hear. [Anselm, Cur Deus Homo, Book 2, Ch. 18]
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