Credo ut intelligam
Credo ut intelligam (alternatively spelled Credo ut intellegam) is Latin for "I believe so that I may understand" and is a maxim of Anselm of Canterbury (Proslogion, 1),[1] which is based on a saying of Augustine of Hippo (crede ut intellegas,[2] lit. "believe so that you may understand")[3][4] to relate faith and reason. In Anselm's writing, it is placed in juxtaposition to its converse, intellego ut credam ("I think so that I may believe"), when he says Neque enim quaero intelligere ut credam, sed credo ut intelligam[1][4] ("I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but rather, I believe in order that I may understand").[4] It is often associated with Anselm's other famous phrase fides quaerens intellectum[5][4] ("faith seeking understanding").[4] Augustine understood the saying to mean that we must believe in something in order to know anything about God.[6]
The term has been used pejoratively to describe uncritical acceptance of questionable concepts.[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b (in Latin) "Anselmus Cantuariensis - Proslogion, 1". The Latin Library. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ (in Latin) "In Evangelium Ioannis Tractatus Centum Viginti Quator 29.6". augustinus.it. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ Hütter, Reinhard (2019). Bound for Beatitude. A Thomistic Study in Eschatology and Ethics. Washington, D.C.: CUA Press. p. 196. ISBN 0-81323181-7. ISBN 978-0-813-23181-5.
- ^ a b c d e Folsom, Marty (2016). Face to Face. Volume Three: Sharing God’s Life. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock. p. 61. ISBN 1-49820761-8. ISBN 978-1-498-20761-4.
- ^ (in Latin) "Anselmus Cantuariensis - Proslogion, Proemium". The Latin Library. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ Nash, Ronald H.,"Faith and Reason," p. 88.
- ^ Tallis, Raymond, "The Shrink from Hell", The Times Higher Education Supplement October 1997 p. 20.