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Biography:
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boetheus (c. 480-524) was a Roman philosopher who translated
Aristotle and, in so doing, helped spread Aristotelian logic through Europe. He was an
important official with the Theodoric, the Gothic king, but after he fell out of favor
he was imprisoned and later executed.
While in prison, he wrote what would become his most famous work, Consolation of Philosophy. Although a devout Christian, this book contains no reference to Christian doctrines. Apparently Boethius believed that both reason and faith were equally valid ways of explaining reality and, having chosen to express himself with reason, found no need to say anything through faith. According to Boethius, it is possible to use reason to achieve some measure of happiness and peace, even in the face of adversity and evil.
This work was probably the most widely read and translated work after the Bible for the next millennium, proving to be enormously influential in the medieval Christian community. It is said of him that because he did so much to transmit the learning of antiquity to the Middle Ages, he should be called "the last of the Romans, the frist of the scholastics."
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Related Resources:
What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.What is Theism?
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A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear. Read more about how dictionaries, scholars and others have tried to define and explain religion.
