1. What is the significance of Anselm's discussion on angels?
2. What are Anselm's reasons for writing?
3. Would an unbeliever find Anselm's arguments convincing?
4. What is the significance of the dialog format?
5. Why did God become Man?
6. How is it a greater crime to kill God than to kill a man?
7. Is it helpful to have a work in dialogue format?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Anselm's Proslogion Questions
1. Discuss the dilemma of good and evil from chapter nine. (p. 98)
2. Does God have emotions? (p. 100)
3. How can God be indivisible if there's a trinity? (ch. 18)
4. Does Anselm prove God's existence in ch. 2?
5. What effect does ch. 3 have on ch. 2?
6. In Gaunilo and Anselm's little debate, was there any obvious "winner?"
2. Does God have emotions? (p. 100)
3. How can God be indivisible if there's a trinity? (ch. 18)
4. Does Anselm prove God's existence in ch. 2?
5. What effect does ch. 3 have on ch. 2?
6. In Gaunilo and Anselm's little debate, was there any obvious "winner?"
Anselm's Monologion Questions
1. How does Anselm use the contingent world to prove the existence of God?
2. In the Preface, Anselm says that he's writing with Augustine in specific mind. What are the similarities and differences between Anselm and Augustine?
3. Is there any Neo-Platonism in the Monologian?
4. Are Anselm's arguments regarding the Trinity legit?
5. Is Anselm's argument for the immortality of the soul legit?
2. In the Preface, Anselm says that he's writing with Augustine in specific mind. What are the similarities and differences between Anselm and Augustine?
3. Is there any Neo-Platonism in the Monologian?
4. Are Anselm's arguments regarding the Trinity legit?
5. Is Anselm's argument for the immortality of the soul legit?
Song of Roland Questions
(Sorry guys that I haven't been posting; I've been crazy busy. I'll try not to get so far behind again.)
1. Roland was prideful and died because of it. Beowulf was warned about the dangers of pride. Do you think that Roland wasn't warned about pride and this lack of warning was the cause of his downfall?
2. Was Charlemagne irresponsible for not acting on the warnings that came in his dreams?
3. Was Ganelon prideful? Why did Roland nominate Ganelon?
4. How does this epic poem differ from the Iliad, the Odyssey, Beowulf, etc.
5. Is Roland a tragic hero? If so, what is his tragic flaw?
1. Roland was prideful and died because of it. Beowulf was warned about the dangers of pride. Do you think that Roland wasn't warned about pride and this lack of warning was the cause of his downfall?
2. Was Charlemagne irresponsible for not acting on the warnings that came in his dreams?
3. Was Ganelon prideful? Why did Roland nominate Ganelon?
4. How does this epic poem differ from the Iliad, the Odyssey, Beowulf, etc.
5. Is Roland a tragic hero? If so, what is his tragic flaw?
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Beowulf Reflection
After Beowulf slaughters Grendel’s mother, he presents the hilt of the ancient sword to Hrothgar, upon which Hrothgar gives a speech. In this speech, Hrothgar lauds Beowulf as a great hero, and contrasts him with Heremond, a bad king who estranged himself from his people. Because of the dangers of power, Hrothgar gives a warning to Beowulf. He describes how it is easy to fall into the trap of believing yourself to be invincible. God will grant a man “fulfillment and felicity on earth,” and this man will be lulled into thinking that all is well and his fortune will never let him down. He forgets to be wary of enemies. He “ignores the shape of things to come.” He forgets that one day he will die. “Beware of that trap. Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part, eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride.”
Not many of us are kings, and yet, Hrothgar’s warning is applicable to all, for we are all kings over our souls. Each of our souls is a kingdom (or to a Platonist, a republic!) that has been entrusted to our care. It is easy for us, during a time of spiritual wealth, to become overconfident and proud, and we fail to be wary of the enemy around us. We become like the unsuspecting town that Grendel pounces on. And thus, when the enemy does come, we are unprepared to fight him. Hrothgar describes how he himself fell into this trap, believing that his enemies had “faded from the face of the earth.” It was then that the enemy struck. And not an earthly enemy, either, but a monster too terrible to speak of.
One of my dad’s favorite sayings is, “Be ready to make friends, be ready to meet foes, be ready to escape danger, be ready to overcome challenges, and be ready to paddle hard.” This kind of vigilance, or “being ready,” does not go hand in hand with false pride. The bible tells us about the importance of being vigilant on numerous occasions. We must be vigilant against false prophets disguised as sheep. We must be vigilant against sin. We must “keep your heart with all vigilance; for from it flows the springs of life”
Most importantly of all, we must be always ready and waiting for our Master to come back. For while we are, in a sense, kings of our souls, the buck does not stop with us. We will answer to the mightiest Lord when he comes to claim the kingdom that is rightfully his. Like Grendel in the night, our Master will come, and at that time, we will not have a Beowulf to fight for us as Hrothgar did. We will have to speak for ourselves on that great and terrible day. Will we be ready? Be vigilant.
Not many of us are kings, and yet, Hrothgar’s warning is applicable to all, for we are all kings over our souls. Each of our souls is a kingdom (or to a Platonist, a republic!) that has been entrusted to our care. It is easy for us, during a time of spiritual wealth, to become overconfident and proud, and we fail to be wary of the enemy around us. We become like the unsuspecting town that Grendel pounces on. And thus, when the enemy does come, we are unprepared to fight him. Hrothgar describes how he himself fell into this trap, believing that his enemies had “faded from the face of the earth.” It was then that the enemy struck. And not an earthly enemy, either, but a monster too terrible to speak of.
One of my dad’s favorite sayings is, “Be ready to make friends, be ready to meet foes, be ready to escape danger, be ready to overcome challenges, and be ready to paddle hard.” This kind of vigilance, or “being ready,” does not go hand in hand with false pride. The bible tells us about the importance of being vigilant on numerous occasions. We must be vigilant against false prophets disguised as sheep. We must be vigilant against sin. We must “keep your heart with all vigilance; for from it flows the springs of life”
Most importantly of all, we must be always ready and waiting for our Master to come back. For while we are, in a sense, kings of our souls, the buck does not stop with us. We will answer to the mightiest Lord when he comes to claim the kingdom that is rightfully his. Like Grendel in the night, our Master will come, and at that time, we will not have a Beowulf to fight for us as Hrothgar did. We will have to speak for ourselves on that great and terrible day. Will we be ready? Be vigilant.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Beowulf Discussion Questions
(from class of course :)) How -are- you supposed to do emoticons at the end of parentheticals? ( :] )?
1. What was the importance of oral tradition in the time of Beowulf? Does it still have importance in our time?
2. What role did gold and treasure play in the poem? (Relate to Iliad and Odyssey?)
3. Who are our praised heroes today and are any of them lasting heroes? Or are they all transitory, like, just, temporal celebrities that do not last more than a couple generations?
4. What do you think the poem as a whole says about greed?
5. Was Beowulf a tragic hero? If so, what was his tragic flaw? (Something really interesting brought up in class was the difference between Greek-ish tragedies and Germanic tragedies.)
1. What was the importance of oral tradition in the time of Beowulf? Does it still have importance in our time?
2. What role did gold and treasure play in the poem? (Relate to Iliad and Odyssey?)
3. Who are our praised heroes today and are any of them lasting heroes? Or are they all transitory, like, just, temporal celebrities that do not last more than a couple generations?
4. What do you think the poem as a whole says about greed?
5. Was Beowulf a tragic hero? If so, what was his tragic flaw? (Something really interesting brought up in class was the difference between Greek-ish tragedies and Germanic tragedies.)
Monday, February 2, 2009
Reflection on Bede
The Ecclesiastical History of the English People is a record of a crucial piece of both the history of England and the history of the church. Bede follows in the footsteps of Eusebius as a church historian; however, his style differs from that of Eusebius in a few crucial ways. Eusebius was very focused on the specific theme of the church itself, and the witness of the Christian martyrs. Bede, however, includes many things in the History about the history of Great Britain and Ireland as countries. Sure, he spends much time discussing life in the monasteries, the evangelization of the people of Great Britain, the great heroes of the faith during his time, and the many miracles that have taken place over the centuries in his country. However, he also spends much time discussing wars that were fought, and which tribe moved in where, and even details about the geography of the land itself.
The integration of the two histories, the history of Britain and the history of the English Church, makes for a very exciting work. Bede himself could not have known just how important a role England and the English Church would play in the history of our world. The last year that his work covers is 731 A.D. England at this point is just a baby country, soon to be dwarfed by the empire of Charlemagne. Many centuries later, however, England will have become the most powerful country in the world, extending its empire even as far as India and Australia. The Christianization of England that Bede describes in his history is perhaps the very thing that allowed England to become so great. Even during times of trial and corruption, the Church led Europe through the Dark Ages, preserving culture, providing great thinkers and theologians, fighting back the advances of Islam. Later, many English missionaries would come to the New World, spreading the gospel on a whole new Hemisphere. We inherited our own Christian culture in America from the English Church. It was the ideals of English men that were written in the Declaration of Independence, English men who became Americans.
In the Ecclesiastical History of the English People, we can read about how the great English Empire was born, we can watch it grow out of infancy into a lively toddlerhood, bursting with both political and religious energy and eager to prove itself to the world. We can thank Bede, who knew nothing of the wonders to come, for recording this childhood of England for us. And we can wonder at the marvelous works of God, whose church spread so quickly in Europe and became bedrock of the Church on planet Earth.
The integration of the two histories, the history of Britain and the history of the English Church, makes for a very exciting work. Bede himself could not have known just how important a role England and the English Church would play in the history of our world. The last year that his work covers is 731 A.D. England at this point is just a baby country, soon to be dwarfed by the empire of Charlemagne. Many centuries later, however, England will have become the most powerful country in the world, extending its empire even as far as India and Australia. The Christianization of England that Bede describes in his history is perhaps the very thing that allowed England to become so great. Even during times of trial and corruption, the Church led Europe through the Dark Ages, preserving culture, providing great thinkers and theologians, fighting back the advances of Islam. Later, many English missionaries would come to the New World, spreading the gospel on a whole new Hemisphere. We inherited our own Christian culture in America from the English Church. It was the ideals of English men that were written in the Declaration of Independence, English men who became Americans.
In the Ecclesiastical History of the English People, we can read about how the great English Empire was born, we can watch it grow out of infancy into a lively toddlerhood, bursting with both political and religious energy and eager to prove itself to the world. We can thank Bede, who knew nothing of the wonders to come, for recording this childhood of England for us. And we can wonder at the marvelous works of God, whose church spread so quickly in Europe and became bedrock of the Church on planet Earth.
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