Anselm of Laon

Who was Anselm of Laon?

Anselm of Laon was a French theologian and founder of a school of scholars who helped to pioneer biblical hermeneutics.

Remembered in the century after his death as "Anselmus" or "Anselm", his name was more properly "Ansellus" or, in Modern French, "Anseau."

Born of very humble parents at Laon before the middle of the 11th century, he is said to have studied under Saint Anselm at Bec, though this is almost certainly incorrect. Other potential teachers of Anselm have been identified, including Bruno of Cologne and Manegold of Lautenbach. By ca. 1080, he had moved back to his place of birth and was teaching at the cathedral school of Laon, with his brother Ralph. In ca. 1109 he became dean and chancellor of the cathedral, and in 1115 he was one of Laon's two archdeacons. His school for theology and exegesis rapidly became the most famous in Europe. Famously, in 1113 he expelled Peter Abelard from his school.

The Liber Pancrisi names him, with Ivo of Chartres and William of Champeaux, as one of the three modern masters.