Page 46 - History of Christianity - Student Textbook

He is most famously known for his Cur Deus Homo (“Why Did God Become Man?”) Anselm explained how
Christ’s death on the cross reconciles men to God. God, Anselm said, is Lord of the cosmos, a Being whose
honor is offended by man’s sin. Though He wishes to forgive man, in order to maintain moral order in the
universe, He cannot simply “overlook” sin. Some satisfaction must be made, something equal to the offense.
Since sin is man’s, satisfaction must be made by man; yet man cannot offer adequate satisfaction. So God
became man, and the one who offers satisfaction is both God and man: Christ. This ideas has become known as
the “Satisfaction Theory” of atonement. The success of his work may be gauged by the fact that many Christians
today not only accept his way of explaining the Atonement, but are simply unaware that there is any other way.

In an age that saw bishops’ authority as a key to the stability of the church, no two could claim the same
authority. When East and West failed to agree, they would go their separate ways.

8.4 Let’s Practice…

1. Give some reasons why Islam spread so quickly through the Middle East, Northern Africa, and
Southern Europe:

2. Why is the Battle of Tours in 732 AD such a significant event in the history of the church?

3. What was the Iconoclastic Controversy?

4. What was the purpose of the Council of Nicaea II in 787?

5. Why was Charlemagne such a significant person in the history of the church?

6. What type of government evolved within the Holy Roman Empire?

7. What did Cyril and Methodius do to raise the ire of the pope?

8. What was Anselm’s greatest accomplishment?

8.5 Let’s Personalize this Lesson…

Activity: Have you ever witnesses to a person who claimed to be Muslim? How did you approach
your witness? Did the Muslim accept Christ as their Savior? Describe:

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