ABSTRACT
This chapter explains some issues that are important in understanding how Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas (AAA) approach the “hard questions” of Christianity. The first topic is the nature of God as approached through Perfect Being Theology. Standard attributes such as omnipotence, omniscience, and perfect goodness are spelled out, as are divine attributes that are questioned today such as simplicity and immutability. This section also discusses God as Creator and as personal. The distance between God and creation raises the issue of how our language and concepts apply to God. Here there is disagreement among AAA due to the more Neoplatonic approach of Augustine and Anselm in contrast to the more Aristotelian approach of Aquinas. The question of how AAA interpret Scripture is outlined briefly, followed by a discussion of the importance of the Church Councils. AAA hold that it is reasonable to believe some things on faith, and this view is defended. A quick look at miracles completes the preliminary theoretical groundwork. A note on citations is included to help readers who are not used to accessing classical or medieval texts. The Introduction ends with short outlines of each chapter of the book.
