334 Lozovsky
Boethius himself demonstrated the many uses of Aristotelian logic when he
applied it to theology. Of his five opuscula sacra, four were written in response
to the contemporary controversies within the church and discussed the most
complex theological issues that had been dividing Christian communities
from the 4th century on. Thus Boethius’ tract “Against Eutyches and Nestorius”,
probably the earliest of the five, was occasioned by an episode in the ongoing
Acacian schism.82 As Boethius explained, he wrote it because he was dissatis-
fied with the level of contemporary debate about the nature of Christ. In 512,
Boethius was present at the meeting of high clergy and Roman senators when
a letter from eastern bishops to pope Symmachus was read. Since no one could
provide a good explanation of the Christological issues involved, Boethius
addressed them himself. Relying on Augustine as his theological authority, he
demonstrated consistently that the heretical views of the eastern bishops con-
tained contradictions in logic.83
This rigorous logical approach to theology, similar to that practised by Greek
theologians from the 5th century on, differed from the usual patristic methods.
Explaining his procedure to John the Deacon, Boethius wrote: “If these things
are right and in accordance with the Faith, I pray you confirm me; or if you are
in any point of another opinion, examine carefully what has been said, and if
possible, reconcile faith and reason”.84 This formula captured the essence of a
method later adopted by medieval philosophers and theologians. It also indi-
cated potential problems associated with this method, anticipating medieval
controversies about the roles of faith and reason in philosophical and theologi-
cal inquiry.85
In his most famous and influential work, Consolation of Philosophy, which
he wrote during his imprisonment ca. 524, Boethius treated some of the same
themes that he had raised in his earlier work (philosophical knowledge, divin-
ity, virtuous life, self-investigation), but unlike his translations and scholarly
tracts, Consolation is a work of literature as well as philosophy. It begins as
the first-person narrator, imprisoned, bemoans his fate. At that moment a
82 For the religious controversies of the late 5th and early 6th centuries and their influence
on Boethius’ work, see Chadwick, Boethius, pp. 29–46. See also the chapters of Cohen and
Sessa in this volume. For a recent summary of the chronology of the opuscula sacra, see
Bradshaw, “Opuscula sacra”, pp. 105–6.
83 Chadwick, Boethius, pp. 180–5; Bradshaw, “Opuscula sacra”, especially pp. 109 and 120.
84 Boethius, Utrum pater, pp. 36–7, trans. p. 37: “Haec si se recte et ex fide habent, ut me
instruas peto; aut si aliqua re forte diversus es, diligentius intuere quae dicta sunt et fidem
si poterit rationemque coniunge.”
85 Bradshaw, “Opuscula sacra”, p. 125.