Date

8-29-2025

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics (MA)

Chair

John Knox

Keywords

God, Ontological Argument, Love, Understanding, Paradox, Faith, Reason

Disciplines

Christianity

Abstract

This thesis argues that while the ontological argument as presented by Saint Anselm of Canterbury offers a formal logical explanation for the existence of God, love is presented as the bridge that enables the skeptic and the believer to engage the argument from a relational and experiential perspective in joining faith and reason through God’s divine love. The paradox found therein is that love, being kind, generous, and caring, initially appears to be too soft for the hard truth and sheer facts of reason. The calling of the theologian is to expose the good news of his faith, and his duty to do so in a reasonable manner that may reach the unbeliever and lead them to God’s saving grace. The primary influence of this research is Saint Anselm of Canterbury and his work on the Ontological Argument as is found in his Proslogion as has been the focus of this debate for hundreds approaching thousands of years. In this argument, and the defense or rebuttal of it, is a missing link, love, that this thesis will prove to be a parallel witness to God’s reality alongside logical reasoning, offering experiential conformation for the ontological argument to be persuaded in connecting faith to reason.

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