Why God Became Man

Anselm of Canterbury

Why God Became Man

Anselm of Canterbury (1033–1109)

Cur Deus Homo

First published 1098

Anselm's dialogue with Boso on the fittingness and necessity of the Incarnation and Christ's satisfaction for humanity.


Praefatio I: Preface

Book I

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

BOS. Haec ipsa liberatio si per aliam quam per Dei personam (sive per angelum, sive per hominem) esse facta quolibet modo diceretur, mens humana hoc multo tolerabilius acciperet. Potuit enim Deus hominem aliquem facere sine peccato, non de massa peccatrice, nec de aliquo homine, sed sicut fecit Adam per quem hoc ipsum opus fieri potuisse videtur.

ANS. An non intelligis quia quaecunque alia persona hominem a morte aeterna redimeret, ejus servus idem homo recte judicaretur? Quod si esset, nullatenus restauratus esset in illam dignitatem quam habiturus erat, si non peccasset: cum ipse, qui nonnisi Dei servus et aequalis angelis bonis per omnia futurus erat, servus esset ejus, qui Deus non esset, et cujus angeli servi non essent.

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XVIII

Chapter XIX

Chapter XX

Chapter XXI

Chapter XXII

Chapter XXIII

Chapter XXIV

Chapter XXV

Book II

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Caput XVIII: Chapter XVIII (a)

Caput XIX: Chapter XVIII (b)

Chapter XIX

Chapter XX

Chapter XXI

Chapter XXII

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