Saints
St. Anselm -
The Satisfaction View of the Atonement (Cur Deus Homo): Anselm framed Christ's death as a necessary satisfaction of God's justice through a substitutionary payment rather than an external cosmic rule. Read more in Ligonier's article Why the God-Man?. [1, 2]
The Ontological Argument (Proslogion): Anselm formulated the famous philosophical proof for God as "that than which nothing greater can be conceived," defining God in actual reality. Explore the breakdown in Ligonier's Anselm Profile. [1, 2]
Faith Seeking Understanding (Credo ut Intelligam): Following Augustine, Anselm argued that true rational comprehension of divine revelation requires a foundation of prior faith. Watch R.C. Sproul's teaching on Anselm in The Consequences of Ideas
St. Polycarp
Polycarp was a prominent second-century church father, bishop of Smyrna, and disciple of the Apostle John. According to Ligonier Ministries, key aspects of his life and teachings include: [1, 2] Key Identity and Connections: He served as the bishop of Smyrna, knew the Apostle John personally, was a friend of Ignatius of Antioch, and mentored the church father Irenaeus. Read the Ligonier Devotional on Polycarp for background on his pastoral care. [1, 2] Opposition to Heresy: He fiercely opposed Gnostic teachings and famously confronted the heretic Marcion, calling him "the firstborn of Satan". [1] Martyrdom (AD 155): Arrested at age 86 during a local persecution in Smyrna, he refused Roman demands to swear by Caesar and revile Christ, declaring that he had served his Lord for 86 years without being wronged. Learn more via the Ligonier Martyrdom Overview. [1, 2, 3] Theology of Martyrdom: He rejected the early notion of seeking out martyrdom as a form of works-righteousness, teaching instead that a willingness to suffer for Christ flows from gratitude for salvation rather than a means to earn heaven. Read the Ligonier Witness Study to explore his theological views. [1, 2]
St. Thomas Aquinas
Ligonier Ministries views medieval Dominican theologian Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) as a monumental and influential intellectual in church history, though Reformed teachers like R.C. Sproul also offer critical theological distinctions regarding his views on grace and salvation. [1, 2, 3, 4] The Five Ways (Natural Theology): Aquinas formulated five rational proofs for the existence of God—the Unmoved Mover, First Cause, Necessary Being, Gradations of Being, and Design—which Ligonier highlights as foundational contributions to natural theology. Explore the breakdown in the Ligonier Podcast on The 5 Ways. [1, 2] Unity of Truth (Anti-Double Truth): Aquinas opposed the 13th-century Islamic "Double Truth Theory" (which claimed philosophy and religion could contradict), asserting that all truth is God's truth and that natural revelation (nature) and special revelation (Scripture) cannot genuinely conflict. Read the devotional on Aquinas and the Knowledge of God for further context. [1, 2] Grace and Nature: Aquinas famously taught that "grace perfects nature", maintaining that human reason and the imago Dei survive the Fall, though Reformed theology critiques his view of infused baptismal grace and cooperative good works. Review Ryan Reeves' article on The Significance of Thomas Aquinas for historical analysis. [1] Divine Aseity: Concepts derived from Aquinas' framework heavily influenced classical theism and the articulation of God's self-existence (aseity) as championed by R.C. Sproul. Read the Ligonier Q&A on The Aseity of God for details. [1]
