ABSTRACT
By the end of the first millennium after the birth of Christ, the center of gravity for the story we are tracing had shifted to Western Europe. With the abatement of successive waves of invaders in Western Europe, the population grew and society became relatively stable in that part of the world. Politically, prominent aristocratic families were the most noticeable powers as they controlled extensive feudal territories and exercised influence over all aspects of society. One practice that became increasingly common around 1000 was the granting of land and endowments by these noble families for the creation of monasteries. Their motivations were mostly selfish: they believed that the prayers of the monks would get them into heaven and lessen the time they had to spend in purgatory. Whether this goal was achieved or not, an unintended consequence for Christian thought during this time was the creation of centers of learning. Most monasteries were sufficiently well endowed to permit many of the monks to devote themselves entirely to intellectual pursuits. One such monk was Anselm.
