Today in Lent Madness, we will finally answer that age old question: Theologian or Nurse? Okay, there's a lot more to Anselm of Canterbury and Florence Nightingale than these two labels, so you'll just have to read on.
In yesterday's action, Henry Budd left Cecilia singing the blues as the patron saint of music lost in a close battle 53% to 47%.
Shockingly (or not so shockingly if you're a longtime Lent Madness participant), we encountered our first case of voter fraud as 546 votes for Cecilia were removed after the ever-vigilant SEC noticed a discrepancy. It was a youthful prank and said youth has since confessed and been absolved. Frankly, there are worse ways for teens to get into trouble on the internet than voting too many times for a saint in Lent Madness.
However, this will not be tolerated and perpetrators face being cast into the outer darkness of Lent Madness where there will be weeping and gnashing of brackets. Do everyone a favor: vote once. If you're particularly enthusiastic, get all your friends, neighbors, and even your enemies (the ones we're supposed to love anyway) to cast a vote for your favorite saint. Big Lent is watching...
Anselm of Canterbury
Anselm of Canterbury was a Benedictine monk and theologian of the medieval Church. Born in the eleventh century in a region of France that is now part of Italy, he entered the Abbey of Bec as a novice at the age of 27. Later, he became abbot and was known for his skillful leadership and his kind, loving discipline toward the monks. He was also known for his very public squabbles with the monarchs of England during his time as the Archbishop of Canterbury, defending the Church’s authority to appoint leaders and manage its own wealth. For his resistance to the English kings, he was exiled twice.
Marrying his Neoplatonic worldview with Aristotelian logic, Anselm is considered one of the greatest thinkers of the Middle Ages. He espoused a philosophy of “faith seeking understanding,” by which he meant people’s love of God inspired them to pursue deeper knowledge of God. Anselm is especially known for two highly influential theological arguments. The first argument—Proslogion—explores the existence of God. Secondly, his treatise Cur Deus Homo irrevocably shaped the development of Christian theology by arguing that Jesus’ crucifixion was necessary to atone for humankind’s sin. Anselm argues that through sin, humans offended God, and God is owed restitution for this offense—but we have nothing with which to make such a payment. Personal acts of atonement will not suffice. Only God can pay off such massive, crushing debt. As God is merciful, atonement is made with the self-sacrifice of the sinless, human, and divine figure of Jesus. Anselm’s theory was criticized by his contemporaries and continues to trouble some theologians, even as it has formed the backbone of much of Christian
theology for a millennium.
Anselm died in 1109 on Spy Wednesday (the Wednesday in Holy Week) and was laid to rest at Canterbury Cathedral. The exact location of his relics today is uncertain—they were removed after a cataclysmic fire in the 1170s. Anselm’s feast day is April 21.
Collect for Anselm of Canterbury
Almighty God, you raised up your servant Anselm to teach the Church of his day to understand its faith in your eternal Being, perfect justice, and saving mercy: Provide your Church in every age with devout and learned scholars and teachers, that we may be able to give a reason for the hope that is in us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Florence Nightingale
Known as “The Lady with the Lamp” for her work as a nurse during the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy, in 1820 to a well-connected British family. Despite her upper-class background, Nightingale heard a call from God in 1837 to serve and care for others. Nightingale was expected to marry well, produce children, and carry on the family legacy. Instead, she boldly answered the call she heard from God and became the founder of modern nursing practice.
Born out of her experiences of tending the wounded during the Crimean War, Nightingale began documenting the effects of sanitary conditions on wartime injuries. Nightingale is said to have reduced the mortality rate during the war from 42 percent to 2 percent by addressing hand washing, water contamination, and sterilization of surgical materials. These ideals of sanitary care continue to this day in modern healthcare practice.
Nightingale documented her theories on nursing care in numerous publications—the most famous is her treatise, Notes on Nursing. These theories led her to establish the Nightingale School for Nurses at St. Thomas’s Hospital in London (now part of King’s College, London). This began a process of social reform that opened the door for women, providing them with skills that led to careers outside of domestic service work or factory positions. By providing a skilled nursing force, Nightingale improved healthcare disparities in London and implemented workforce healthcare (now occupational and public health nursing practice); she also advocated for hunger relief in India and worked to abolish prostitution laws that targeted women.
Nightingale was raised in the Church of England and was greatly influenced by Wesleyan ideals. Nightingale believed that her faith was best expressed through the care and love of others. A believer in universal reconciliation, Nightingale is said to have comforted one prostitute who was concerned about going to hell. Nightingale said, “Oh, my girl, are you not now more merciful than the God you think you are going to? Yet the real God is far more merciful than any human creature ever was or can ever imagine.”
Collect for Florence Nightingale
Life-giving God, you alone have power over life and death, over health and sickness: Give power, wisdom, and gentleness to those who follow the lead of your servant Florence Nightingale, that they, bearing with them your presence, may not only heal but bless, and shine as lanterns of hope in the darkest hours of pain and fear; through Jesus Christ, the healer of body and soul, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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337 comments on “Anselm of Canterbury vs. Florence Nightingale”
I voted for Florence for International Women's Day and also because she was a pioneer in nursing.
I voted for Anselm just because I lived in San Anselmo CA for years! That and Faith Seeking Understanding is exactly the thing I love about being Episcopalian. I don't have to check my brain at the door to the sanctuary.
I love Anselm's faith seeking understanding, but can't believe how often we accept his writings about the cross as a way to deal with a divine grudge against us. No doubt we fail, but God's forgiveness is not an equation. As Florence said so beautifully to the prostitute in her weakness, God's above that stuff. As a priest who sees the work of many nurses on my visitations to the sick, I celebrate Florence today. Faith seeking understanding by doing and being there for others.
Amen!
I agree with you, Paul. I can't buy Anselm's view of a petty, nasty, vindictive and vengeful God. Substitutionary atonement is an extremely problematic theory. So, it's Florence Nightingale for me.
I admire Florence Nightingale, but voted for Anselm as she died apostate
Florence had some unorthodox beliefs, but she was a Christian and an Anglican all her life. In the latter part of her life, when she was housebound due to her illness, the parish priest brought Communion to her regularly.
Florence Nightingale, in honor of my sister, a nurse.
Anselm is a towering theological figure. He is a superstar of the Middle Ages and all ages. His effect upon the history of the church is far reaching. Therefore, he gets my vote. I have to admit, I learned things about Florence that I never knew. Very amazing person, for sure. However, her universalism bothers me. After Jesus showed grace to the woman caught in adultery by defending her against her chauvinistic persecutors ( It takes two to commit adultery, right) he said to her. "Go and sin no more", thereby holding the grace of God and the holiness of God in perfect tension.
Atonement needs a little help these days; Our Lady of the Autoclave gets maybe a little more hoop-la than necessary.
In my view, Anselm's atonement theory is too problematic to count in his favor. Soooo... Florence it is!
I was quite impressed with Anselm's theological thinking, but after months of hospital visits for both my mother and stepfather since December, I am more aware than ever of the impact of Florence. Nurses are heroes, the true backbone of medical care. When you have a good nurse, you are going to make it. When you do not, your days are miserable and hopeless. Thank you, Florence, for your mercy, kindness and contribution to the world. Not to mention that it's International Women's Day, and this is a woman to honor also for what she did for other women in both her time and through the centuries since.
I was divided on this one. Both deserved to win. Florence on the sweeping changes that she spearheaded and Anselm for his theory that only God could provide the perfect sacrifice through His son.
I voted for Anselm as a tribute to the professor who introduced me to Anselm: Marilyn McCord Adams. Unfortunately, Marilyn is now ill. I hope she and/or her husband, Bob Adams, might see this and be cheered. If the Adamses touched your life, I suggest you vote for Anselm as a way to thank them.
I voted for Florence because it is International Women's Day, and I'm sure she would be leading a march and reminding everyone to wash their hands.
Her faith was motivated by her love and caring for others. And, she shared her knowledge of sanitation with the world. Go, Flo!
What a difficult choice today. The woman who invented the nursing profession or the man who gave us the Ontological Proof of the Existence of God. Who made the most significant contribution?
As the mother of a nurse, I am proud to vote for Florence.
Voted for Florence for her dedication to the care and healing of all God's children and her trust in universal reconciliation. Did not vote for for Anselm because of Cur Deus Homo.
This election is rigged! You put a trailblazing woman up against a male Doctor of the Church on International Women's Day - a guaranteed loss for Anselm, who's my favorite saint-other-than-Francis. No fair!
Voting for Anselm. While Nightingale might have done more in the health field and if this was for the Nobel Prize I would vote for her, Anselm has done more to advance theology. I believe Lent Madness should reward the advancement of Theology.
Had to vote for Florence
Have been a nurse for 45 years.
I know what impact she made
Thank God she got the recognition she deserved in a male dominated world of her tome
Anyone who would willingly enter a war zone to provide health care to the wounded is the saintly winner. Florence Nightingale, for all nurses!
May the spirit of Florence Nightingale guide those making decisions to improve our health care.
Amen!
Apples vs oranges, indeed! Both deserve to win in their own realm! Trying to look down from 10,000 feet, I chose Anselm. But Florence is awesome, too.
Florence Nightingale. I have real quarrels with Anselm's theology. i have a different understanding of the Cruxifiction. And I think Anselm led directly into the hell fire brimstone school of preaching, and a religion based on fear and crushing guilt.
Loved the vignette of Nightingale with the prostitute. It is the opposite of Anselm.
My sympathies greatly lie with Anselm, being a thinker in an age when thinking was greatly undervalued (an age that we seem to be returning to now). However, he just can't compete with Florence Nightingale's actions.
I'm amazed at the disparity in the voting, even as I contribute to it--my vote goes to Florence in honor of my mother, who reared 5 kids, nursed a gravely ill husband for years, and THEN went to school and became an RN and Hospice nurse. She was the daughter and mother of doctors, too. Nurses are heroes.
Also (this is sad and petty), the portrait of Anselm looks like a watermelon with a head. First impressions...
I scrolled back up to look at Anselm's portrait, and you're right---watermelon with a head. It didn't influence my vote, since I had already voted for Nightingale. Thanks for giving me a laugh!
I thought this would be a close race. But, I have to vote for Florence since I was a dietitian for forty-five years and
We were taught in school she was the first dietitian as well!
A woman revolutionizing health care in a war zone - on International Women's Day, and as a nurse, this vote was easy.
Had to be FloNi on International Women's Day.
I was divided, too. I voted for Anselm because hearing his saying, "faith seeking understanding" in theology class at the age of 50, my life suddenly made sense. However, I did choose Florence for my bracket because she's done so much as Christ's hands and feet in the world. And I figured she would beat Anselm, lol.
I was reading Wikipedia on Anselm, and I can't help but wonder how we would think if we were able to approach his atonement theory through fresh eyes rather than through the degeneracy of his interpreters.
It seems like his theory could have been good news to people of his day that labored under the delusion that they themselves had to appease an infinite justice. Anselm is saying to them: Chill out, God's got this.
Also, since he was opposed to tri-theistic notions, it would seem possible that his view of the Trinity would stand in stark opposition to the depraved imaginations of his successors that posit a sadistic father taking it out on his hapless son.
Thanks, Mr. Gilbert. Your comment encourages me to delve into Anselm and get a deeper taste of his theology. But I voted for Florence -- she saved lives without worrying about how sinful her patients might be.