Monasticism and Scholasticism (600 CE – 1100 CE)
Explore the theologians who preserved and advanced Christian thought through the early medieval centuries. From monastic scriptoria to the first stirrings of scholasticism, these thinkers kept the flame of learning alive and prepared the way for the great synthesis to come.
Theology: 600-1100 CE
Monks, Scholars andthe Seeds of Scholasticism
As the Roman world fragmented, monasteries became the guardians of Christian learning. Benedictine monks copied manuscripts, composed commentaries, and developed a theology rooted in lectio divina and the liturgy. In the East, St John of Damascus synthesised patristic thought and defended the veneration of icons against the iconoclasts.
The Carolingian Renaissance brought renewed interest in education and theology. Alcuin of York advised Charlemagne on matters of faith and learning, while monastic and cathedral schools trained the next generation of churchmen. St Bede the Venerable earned his title through his biblical commentaries and historical works that shaped English Christianity.
The era culminated with St Anselm of Canterbury, whose motto "faith seeking understanding" launched scholastic theology. His ontological argument for God's existence and satisfaction theory of atonement remain landmarks of Christian thought. The intellectual tools were now in place for the great theological achievements of the High Middle Ages.
At a Glance
Monastic Learning
Benedictine monasteries preserved ancient texts and developed a contemplative theology centred on Scripture and the Divine Office.
John of Damascus
The last of the Eastern Fathers synthesised Greek patristic thought and defended sacred images against the iconoclasts.
Anselm of Canterbury
The Father of Scholasticism pioneered rational theology while remaining rooted in monastic prayer and contemplation.
“I do not seek to understand in order to believe, but I believe in order to understand.”
SA
St Anselm of Canterbury
Proslogion, c. 1078
Faith and Reason
The early medieval theologians showed that faith and reason work together. Their patient scholarship preserved the patristic heritage and created the conditions for the flowering of scholasticism.