Discover published sets by community

Peter Abelard's emphasis on dialectics and his method of 'Sic et Non' (Yes and No) encouraged critical inquiry and interpretation within the church's philosophy, fostering a more systematic approach to theology.

Albertus Magnus, a Dominican friar, reintroduced Aristotelian philosophy into the medieval theological tradition. His works attempted to reconcile this philosophy with Christian teachings, influencing subsequent church thought.

Anselm's ontological argument for the existence of God was significant in medieval theology and philosophy. It presented a fusion of faith and reason that was characteristic of the church's approach to confirming religious doctrine via philosophical methodology.

The theory of Divine Illumination, largely developed by Augustine and later by thinkers like Robert Grosseteste, posited that human understanding requires the direct intervention of God, shaping the philosophical discourse on knowledge within the Christian tradition.

Christian mysticism, with figures like Meister Eckhart, focused on the individual's spiritual union with the divine, extending beyond strict philosophical doctrine and influencing the church's contemplative traditions.

Boethius's 'The Consolation of Philosophy' brought classical philosophy into a Christian framework, discussing the problem of evil, divine foreknowledge, and free will, asserting theology's relevance to philosophy and vice versa within the church.

Duns Scotus's work on univocity of being, and his argumentation against the Thomistic understanding of existence, influenced the church's views on metaphysics and theology, encouraging more nuanced debates within the church's philosophical circles.

The concept of the Divine Right of Kings, advocated by medieval thinkers like Aquinas, played a pivotal role in the relationship between the Church and the state, with philosophical implications on the nature of power and authority.

Natural theology, the practice of seeking to understand God through reason and experience of the natural world, was harmonized with Christian teaching in the Middle Ages, shaping the approach to philosophical inquiry within the church.

Thomas Aquinas synthesized Aristotelian philosophy with Christian doctrine by discussing concepts such as natural law and the existence of God, which earned him a place of esteem within the church, and impacted its teachings and approach to philosophy.

The Condemnations of 1277, issued by the Bishop of Paris, restricted the teaching of certain Aristotelian and Averroist doctrines, which demonstrates the church's significant role in controlling and directing philosophical discourse during the medieval period.

Saint Augustine's works, such as 'Confessions' and 'City of God,' showcased the marriage between Christian theology and Neoplatonic ideas, setting a philosophical framework that greatly influenced the medieval church, including the notion of divine providence and the nature of evil.

Scholasticism was a method of critical thought which dominated teaching in the medieval universities in Europe from about 1100 to 1700. It originated within the Christian monastic schools that were the basis of the earliest European universities.

William of Ockham's advocacy for methodological simplicity known as 'Ockham's Razor' challenged the church's oft-complex theological conjectures, influencing the philosophical tools used for theological reflection.