With only a few exceptions, European medieval thought was deeply imbued with
Christian faith. As a result, it is not possible to understand medieval philosophy
without at least a rudimentary understanding of Christian beliefs as presented in
the Bible. Whether or not today’s reader accepts the veracity of the claims put forth
in these writings, most medievals did believe them, and that belief formed the
foundation of their thought.
Beginning as a Jewish sect, Christianity continued to hold a number of beliefs
in common with Judaism, including the following bedrock convictions: that the
Hebrew Bible (called the “Old Testament” by Christians) is the revealed Word of
God; that God is superior to and distinct from the created world; that the world
was created by God at a specific point in time and that the world will come to an
end; that God is personal and desires a special relationship with the human race;
that humans have sinned against God’s Law and need God’s forgiveness; that God
requires righteousness as a means of a right relationship with God and others; and
that God would send the Anointed One (“Messiah” in Hebrew, “Christ” in Greek)
to set the people of God free.
But while Christians accepted the foundational beliefs of their Jewish ances-
tors, they differed on one key point: the identity of the Messiah. Whereas the Jews
anticipated a spiritual-political figure to save them from the oppression of their
enemies, Christians believed the Christ saved his people mainly from the spiritual
oppressors of sin and death. Whereas the Jews believed the Messiah would
scrupulously follow the Law, favoring and associating only with those who did
likewise, the Christ of the Christians seemed to enjoy a remarkable freedom in

CHRISTIANITY

AND MEDIEVAL

PHILOSOPHY



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