How did St. Anselm of Canterbury’s approach to faith resemble that of St. Augustine?

St. Anselm of Canterbury’s approach to faith closely mirrored that of St. Augustine in his commitment to the integration of faith and reason in the pursuit of truth.12

For both thinkers, faith held the primary position; however, they maintained that reason should follow faith to provide a rational foundation for what is believed. Anselm’s methodology, famously captured in the original title of his Proslogion, Fides quaerens intellectum ("Faith Seeking Understanding"), exemplifies this synthesis.123

While some of his contemporaries, such as St. Peter Damian, were suspicious of secular philosophy, Anselm—much like Augustine—actively employed reason to explore and articulate theological truths. This approach allowed him to develop rigorous logical demonstrations for the existence of God, such as his ontological argument, which sought to prove the divine nature through rational inquiry rather than relying solely on the authority of Scripture.123