Saint Anselm on the Kingdom of Heaven: A Model of Right Order

Although Saint Anselm never wrote a systematic treatise on heaven, the concept of heaven, as it is found in several of his writings, is robust; it is rich in meaning and content. All that is good and just, all that is blessing is included in the concept. Heaven is a sign of God's goodness and love for his angelic and human creatures. What stands out in Anselm's discussions of heaven is order: heaven is a model of right order. The paper will examine three kinds of order in the writings of Anselm that express his view of the order in heaven. First, there is the moral order in that sin and punishment are properly adjudicated by the work of the Son of God. Second, there is the salvific order in that heaven is the reward granted to those who persevere in the faith. Third, there is the mystical order in that heaven is to be inhabited by a perfect number of created beings. Thus when Anselm invokes heaven, as he does in many prayers and letters, he is invoking that which for him is a wonderful and powerful concept that reflects God's love.