Dogmatism and Scholasticism

THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD: SCHOLASTICISM &
DOGMATISM
The Medieval period or the Middle Ages refer to the period from the 5th
century to the late 15th century. It began with the fall of the Western
Roman Empire and transitioned into the Renaissance1 and the Age of
Discovery.2 During this period, two important systems of theological
thoughts emerged. They are Scholasticism and Dogmatism.
Scholasticism
During the early half (5th -10th century) of the Middle Ages (5th-15th
century), the dominant characteristic of the intellectual life was the
attitude of unquestioned obedience to authority; of receptivity to all
doctrines, statements or incidents sanctioned by the Church; of
dependence upon formal truths dogmatically established; of an
antagonism (dislike) to any state of doubt, of questioning or of enquiry as
wrong and sinful in itself.
By the 11th century, a new attitude emerged. The study of dialectic (the art
of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions) had stimulated an
interest in intellectual activity and in the logical formulation and
statement of religious beliefs. The purpose of Scholasticism was to bring
reason to the support of faith; to strengthen the religious life and the
church by the development of intellectual power. It aimed to silence all
doubts and questionings through argument. Until the medieval period,
Church doctrines had long been formulated and Faith was still considered
1
Generally described as taking place from the 14th century to the 17th century, “Renaissance” is a
French word meaning “rebirth.” The Renaissance was seen as a “rebirth” of that learning. The Renaissance is
often said to be the start of the “modern age.”
2
The Age of Discovery or Age of Exploration was a period from the early 15th century that continued into the
early 17th century, during which European ships travelled around the world to search for new trading routes and
partners. They were in search of trading goods such as gold, silver and spices.
1
superior to reason. However, with the emergence of Scholasticism,
Church doctrines were now analysed, defined, systematized. In other
words, Scholasticism enabled the people to bring reason through
investigations, arguments and opinions to the support of faith. In simple
terms,
Scholasticism is the system of logic, philosophy, and theology of

medieval university scholars, or schoolmen (sic), from the 10th to the
15th century, based upon Aristotelian logic, the writings of the early
Christian fathers, and the authority of tradition and dogma.
Therefore, the main purpose of Scholasticism was to systematize

knowledge; to give individual mastery of this system of knowledge.
Scholastic training aimed to develop the power of formulating beliefs into
a logical system and the power of presenting and defending such
statements of beliefs against all arguments that might be brought against
them.
In other words, the period of Scholasticism, also known as the age of

“schoolmen (sic)” was the period of the systematization of the doctrines. It
involved “schoolwork” of organizing, sorting, and classifying materials
coming from ancient times. These schoolbooks and school men (sic) were
scholars rather than original thinkers.
Important Scholastic Figures
The work of John Damascene or John of Damascus (d. after 754), the
first and the only scholastic among the Greeks, gathered the teachings and
views of the Greek Fathers to a systematic whole.
Early 6th century scholar, Boethius, born in Rome and educated in

Athens was considered as one of the founders of scholasticism together
2
with John of Damascus. Boethius attempted to “join faith to reason” which
served as the formal foundation of Scholasticism.
The “negative theology” contained in the works of Denis the

Areopagite, probably a Syrian Neoplatonist and contemporary of
Boethius, served as a corrective to any rationalization of theology
suggested in the scholastic attempt to link faith and reason. Denis showed
that even the revealed names of God cannot possibly reach or express the
nature of God; and that in consequence, every affirmative statement about
God requires at once the corrective of negation.
The negative theology changed humanity’s whole conception of the world

and of existence. Though called the “first Scholastic,” Boethius was also the
last layman in the field of European philosophy. The 15th century
Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa’s (one of the first German proponents of
Renaissance, humanism) doctrine of “knowing nonknowing” is closely
linked to the Areopagite’s conviction that all of reality is unfathomable.
Cardinal Nicholas argued that it is not possible to know God through mere
human means, that is, via “learned ignorance.”
The eleventh-century Benedictine, St. Anselm, a Franco-Italian

theologian who became the archbishop of Canterbury, displayed a
practically unlimited confidence in the power of human reason to
illuminate even the mysteries of Christian faith. He maintained that
salvation is attainable by human reason. However, his two famous phrases,
“faith seeking understanding” and “I believe in order to understand,”
clearly proclaim that faith is the very basis of all his reasoning.
The scholastics exhibited intellectual autonomy and independence in the

work of St. Thomas Aquinas (Thomas of Aquino’ 1225 – 1274), an
Italian Dominican friar, and, a Doctor of the Church after St. Augustine.
He was an immensely influential philosopher, theologian, and jurist in the
3
tradition of scholasticism. His Summa Theologica remains one of the
greatest work of scholastics. It is a compendium of all of the main
theological teachings of the Catholic Church - the existence of God;
Creation, Humans, purpose of human creation; Christ; the Sacraments;
and back to God. It presents the reasoning for almost all points of Christian
theology in the West.
Scholasticism as an unprecedented process of learning in Biblical

hermeneutics continued for several centuries. Scholasticism was the
complete reduction of religious thought to a logical form. Despite the
commendable contributions of Scholasticism, one of the greatest
limitations of Scholasticism is that it never stopped to inquire about the
validity of the material. It was mainly interested in argument, not in the
validity of conclusion. Besides this, much of the discussion possessed no
reality, and no validity in thought.
Dogmatism
The word dogmatism is derived from the Latin word “dogma,” which
refers to the principles held as true, without consideration of evidence or
the opinions of others. Dogmatism is
a religious doctrine or system of doctrines proclaimed by ecclesiastical

authority as true.
Dogmatism is the belief that irrational assumptions are inevitable and that
rationality can only act within the limits set by irrational factors. It is based
on the view that some assumption must be exempt from criticism.
Dogmatism holds that explanations of reality must be based on a core
assumption that cannot be tested. That is to say dogmatism does not
tolerate any criticism. Scholasticism and dogmatism went hand in hand
throughout the Middle Ages.
4
Dogmatic Interpretation’s starting point is a certain theological
framework. It is best seen in the development of the Roman Catholic
Church; however, this approach is also pertinent in modern Protestantism
as well. The Roman Church thought that their beliefs were the lens
through which all interpretations of Scripture must
bend. They denounced any interpretation of Scripture that did not accord
with what they confessed. They thought the Bible must always say what
they already believed to be true. The fact is we all tend to think that any
interpretation of the Bible that is different from what we have believed
must be wrong.

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THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD: SCHOLASTICISM &

Scholasticism is the system of logic, philosophy, and theology of

Therefore, the main purpose of Scholasticism was to systematize

In other words, the period of Scholasticism, also known as the age of

Important Scholastic Figures

Early 6th century scholar, Boethius, born in Rome and educated in

The “negative theology” contained in the works of Denis the

The negative theology changed humanity’s whole conception of the world

The eleventh-century Benedictine, St. Anselm, a Franco-Italian

The scholastics exhibited intellectual autonomy and independence in the

Scholasticism as an unprecedented process of learning in Biblical

a religious doctrine or system of doctrines proclaimed by ecclesiastical

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