Crede ut intelligas

Fides quaerens intellectum

"Believe in order that you may understand."

"Faith seeking understanding" ("For faith is understanding's step; and understanding faith's attainment.")

Augustine (354-430)

Relationship of belief and authority to reason

For Augustine, faith and reason have an interdependent relationship and both are uniquely enabled by divine grace.

Credo ut intelligam

"I believe in order that I might understand."

Anselm (1033-1109)

Anselm was an Augustinian and laid emphasis upon faith being prior to reason and understanding.

Intelligo et credo

"I understand and I believe."

"Grace presupposes nature and perfects it."

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Aquinas was also an Augustinian and believed that some truths are discovered through both faith and reason, whereas other truths are known exclusively through faith (special revelation). Nevertheless, human reason is finite and negatively impacted by sin so grace buttresses both.

Credo quia absurdum est

"I believe because it is absurd."

Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

Kierkegaard emphasized that the gospel message (God becoming a man to atone for human sin) is an affront to human reason, but his views need not imply an outright rejection of reason or that Christianity is actually absurd.