Skip to main content

Anselm of Canterbury




Anselm of Canterbury by Simonetta Carr

This new children’s book written by Simonetta Carr on Anselm of Canterbury is a fascinating and enriching book combined with stunning illustrations done by Matt Abraxas.  Many readers will know of Simonetta Carr in her other books in the Christian Biographies for Young Readers (John Calvin, John Owen, Augustine, Lady Jane Grey, and Athanasius).  She is an astute writer, investing much in the details of Anselm’s life, both biographically and theologically.  What shines through in the book is the heart of a man 

Early on in the book, we find Anselm debating in his mind and heart about whether he should pursue the life of a monk.  His father was unwilling to give his blessing for Anselm to join a monastery.  Soon after his father died, Anselm thought very hard about becoming a monk (14-15).  After taking the plunge to become a monk, Carr writes, “As a monk, Anselm devoted all his heart to the study of God’s Word, prayer, and his daily duties, which often included editing books, making sure they were correct” (16).  Anselm’s fervent devotion to study, prayer, and caring for his fellow man was central to his ministry as a monk, archbishop, and leader in the church.  With the rise of Anselm’s station in the church, others began to become angry and critical of him, yet Anselm responded with kindness. 

While many people know that Anselm penned his famous work, Cur Deus Homo (Why God-Man?) about the reason for Christ becoming man and providing a satisfaction for the weight of the sin of mankind, what was very illuminating was the occasion of this writing.  Carr writes, “For some time, other monks had been asking him to write an answer to a question that was puzzling many people:…If God can do anything, couldn’t He have saved His people some other way” (42)?  This shameful death of the Son of God was unthinkable for some.  What was so amazing here is that these questions were put to the monks by regular people coming to church each week.  Therefore, Anselm’s clear understanding and detailing of Christ’s coming to the world and his death was as much a pastoral word of comfort and encouragement as it was a theological one.  In other words, the heart of theological matters in the church often come from everyday people dealing with issues of life and reflecting on those issues.  Furthermore, the very format of the book in which Anselm carries on a conversation with another monk named Boso gives the impression of a dialogue one would have with a friend.

This book was a superb introduction for young students concerning the life and teachings of Anselm of Canterbury.  I learned a lot too as someone not recognizing the extreme discord that was taking place with both the church and England at the time.  The illustrations were also very beautiful, taking the world of a medieval monk and his travels and opening up the scenery that surrounded him. 

I recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about Anselm and even those wanting to pass along to their children a biography of the one of the great church fathers.


Thanks to Reformations Heritage Books and Cross Focused Reviews for the free copy of this book in exchange for review.

Comments

  1. Thank you for this very thoughtful review! The occasions that moved some of the famous theologians of the past to formulate what are now basic doctrines of the Christian faith are very interesting and, as you mentioned, usually motivated by pastoral concerns. I think it's important for children to understand that our Christian doctrines were not written in a vacuum by lofty men buried in books, but in the context of everyday life, among daily struggles. Thank you for pointing it out!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Spencer,

    Thanks for contributing to the blog tour. The Christian Biographies for Young Readers series is a favorite at our house. ;-) I'm so glad you enjoyed the book.

    Shaun Tabatt
    Cross Focused Reviews

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Rise of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman

  The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman Navigating the culture that we take up residence in, with its laser focus on sexual identity, tolerance, and an individualism that raises its head at every corner, Christians need a robust account of how we got to this point in our Western culture without retreating to our churches nor morphing with the latest trends.   Carl Trueman, professor of religion and theology at Grove City College, brings his keen historical research to bear on this issue in his new book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self.   Part historical survey and philosophical analysis, Dr. Trueman traces the trajectories of key thinkers such as Rousseau, Freud, and Marx, while also incorporating the insights of Charles Taylor and Phillip Rieff to form a cogent argument as to how we got to this point in our history, both in our expressive individualism and sexual freedom outlooks.   The book is surprisingly insightful and yet demands from the reader the pa

The Conditioned Mind

The Conditioned Mind: Overcoming the Crippling Effects of Sin and Guilt by Michael J. Mannia Counselor and author Michael J. Mannia knows firsthand how the spiraling of sin and guilt can eat away at life.  His new book, The Conditioned Mind, is a look into how believers can overcome the effects of sin and guilt and live in the freedom that we have in Christ.  Through a careful look into the patterns that we develop and the mindsets that we get ingrained in, Michael is able to offer ways through guilt that bring freedom and healing.  I think this is not only a timely but a book that aims toward bringing real healing to its readers. In the first chapter Michael looks at two needs that we have: our need for love and our need for security.  Love isn’t something optional for the human race, but something it needs at its core.  “Additionally, we need to reciprocate love.  We need to feel loved as much as we need to love others (8).”  Love is a two-way street that inv

Passover and Jesus

The Messiah in the Passover , Edited by Darrell Bock and Mitch Glaser Why should Christians celebrate and remember the Passover?   This is a striking question that needs to be understood as well as the historical and theological context of the Passover.   However obscure we sometimes view the Old Testament, there is some significant reasons why we should reach back and study the Passover.   Mitch Glaser in the Introduction states, “When Christians celebrate the Passover, they grow in their understanding of the Old Testament, affirm the Jewishness of the Gospel, deepen our understanding of the Lord’s Supper, and build community with fellow Christians…” (20).   This book is answer to why celebrate the Passover but even more importantly an answer to what the Passover is and what it signifies to us today.   The various contributors of this book, Messiah in the Passover, bring a wealth of ministry experience in relating the Jewishness of both Jesus and the Old Testament to