Today is the feast day of one of our most important Anglican saints, St. Anselm of Canterbury.

You can learn more about him in Lesser Feasts and Fasts or at the above link, and his readings are here.

Here’s a short summary of his life:

Anselm was born in Italy about 1033, and took monastic vows in 1060.  He became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093.  His episcopate was stormy, in continual conflict with the crown over the rights and freedom of the Church.  His greatest talent lay in theology and spritual direction.

Undergirding Anselm’s theology is a profound piety.  His spirituality is best summarized in the phrase “faith seeking understanding.”  He writes, “I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order that I may understand.  For this, too, I believe, that unless I firstbelieve, I shall not understand.”

Here is the collect for St. Anselm:

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, on God, for ever and ever. Amen.