1. Introduction
The medieval period (c. 500–1500 AD) represents a pivotal era in the development of systematic theology, marked by the synthesis of biblical doctrine, patristic legacy, and classical philosophy, particularly Aristotelian and Neoplatonic frameworks. During this era, theologians such as Thomas Aquinas, Anselm of Canterbury, and Hildegard of Bingen significantly deepened Christian understandings of heaven, God’s kingdom, and His presence. Their works integrated rational inquiry with mystical insight, shaping ecclesial teachings and the devotional life of medieval Christendom.
2. Heaven: The Beatific Vision and Eternal Communion
a. Thomas Aquinas: Heaven as Intellectual and Beatific Fulfilment
In his Summa Theologiae (ST I-II, Q3–5; ST III, Q92–93), Aquinas posits that the supreme end of human existence is the Beatific Vision (visio beatifica)—the direct, unmediated vision of God by the redeemed in heaven:
- 1 Corinthians 13:12 – “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face…”
Aquinas distinguishes earthly happiness, which is temporal and limited, from heavenly bliss, which is permanent and grounded in the intellect’s perfect apprehension of God. This vision fully satisfies the human will, rendering the soul immutably content.
b. Anselm of Canterbury: Heaven as the Fulfilment of Desire
In his Proslogion (chapters 25–26), Anselm articulates a rational and contemplative vision of heaven. He argues that heaven represents the consummation of the soul’s longing for truth and beauty, expressed in the phrase gaudium de veritate—the joy that comes from knowing ultimate reality:
- Revelation 21:4 – “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes…”
For Anselm, the joy of heaven lies not merely in rewards but in eternal union with God, where the intellect and will are perfectly aligned with divine goodness.
c. Hildegard of Bingen: Heaven as Mystical Harmony
Hildegard, a twelfth-century abbess and visionary, described heaven in richly symbolic and cosmic terms. Her Scivias and Liber Divinorum Operum portray heaven as a realm of radiant order, marked by musical harmony, divine light, and theological beauty. She emphasised that the soul, once purified, enters a sphere of spiritual transfiguration, intimately united with the divine source of creation.
3. The Kingdom of God: Ecclesial, Moral, and Eschatological Dimensions
a. Aquinas: Kingdom Realised in the Church and Fulfilled in Glory
Aquinas interprets the Kingdom of God as both inaugurated and awaited. In ST I-II, Q108, he writes that the Church embodies the kingdom in mystery and grace, where God’s rule is evident in the sacraments, Scripture, and the ordering of moral life:
- Luke 17:21 – “The kingdom of God is within you.”
- Matthew 6:33 – “Seek ye first the kingdom of God…”
Yet, he teaches that the kingdom will only be fully consummated at the parousia, when Christ returns in glory to judge and renew creation.
b. Anselm: Kingdom as Just Order and Divine Will
Anselm perceived the kingdom through the lens of divine justice and rational order. In Cur Deus Homo, he argues that salvation is the restoration of moral harmony disrupted by sin. The kingdom, therefore, entails the restoration of God’s rightful rule over human wills, culminating in final judgement:
- Revelation 11:15 – “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord…”
c. Hildegard: Kingdom as Cosmic Revelation
Hildegard interpreted the kingdom as both a present mystical reality and a cosmic order governed by divine wisdom. Her visions depict the kingdom as a living structure of virtues, where human souls, angels, and creation are interwoven in the divine plan. This view reflects a panentheistic theological cosmology, in which God’s kingdom permeates the visible and invisible realms.
4. God’s Presence: Scholastic Reasoning and Mystical Encounter
a. Aquinas: Real Presence and Divine Immanence
For Aquinas, God’s presence operates on multiple levels—natural, gracious, and sacramental. In ST I, Q8, he affirms God’s omnipresence through essence, power, and presence. Yet God also indwells the righteous through sanctifying grace (ST I-II, Q110), and Christ is present in the Eucharist in a unique and real manner (ST III, Q75–76):
- Psalm 139:7–10 – “Whither shall I go from thy spirit?”
- Jeremiah 23:24 – “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”
Aquinas’ theological precision reinforced the doctrinal centrality of divine presence in worship and moral living.
b. Anselm: Presence through Contemplation and Prayer
Anselm’s theology of presence is existential and devotional. In Monologion and Proslogion, he expresses the soul’s yearning to encounter God. Prayer is seen as the primary conduit for divine presence, not through sensory experience, but through rational longing and interior illumination:
- James 4:8 – “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”
Anselm’s reflections laid groundwork for later monastic spiritual disciplines centred on silence, lectio divina, and contemplation.
c. Hildegard: Presence as Radiant and Feminine Wisdom
Hildegard offers a profoundly mystical theology of God’s presence. In her visions, the divine presence is personified as Sophia (divine wisdom), a radiant force sustaining and vivifying creation. Her works describe presence not as doctrinal abstraction, but as lived experience, often through visions, sacred music, and nature:
“O Holy Wisdom, flowing from the throne of God, you embrace all being with flame and freshness.” (Symphonia Harmoniae Caelestium Revelationum)
Her experiential theology of presence provided a counterbalance to scholastic abstraction, affirming the embodied and aesthetic dimensions of divine encounter.
5. Conclusion
Medieval theology presents a rich synthesis of rational enquiry and mystical experience, advancing earlier patristic interpretations of heaven, the kingdom, and God’s presence. Thomas Aquinas formalised the doctrine of the Beatific Vision, grounding divine communion in metaphysical clarity. Anselm underscored intellectual longing and moral submission. Hildegard, through visionary expression, expanded theological imagination to include beauty, order, and mystical intimacy. Collectively, these thinkers continue to influence Christian eschatology, ecclesiology, and spiritual formation, offering enduring insight into the nature of divine reality and human destiny.
6. Selected Bibliography (Harvard Style)
- Aquinas, T. (2006). Summa Theologiae, trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province. Notre Dame: Christian Classics.
- Anselm of Canterbury (1998). Proslogion, trans. T. Williams. Indianapolis: Hackett.
- Hildegard of Bingen (1990). Scivias, trans. C. Hart and J. Bishop. New York: Paulist Press.
- Denifle, H. (1922). Leben und Schriften der heiligen Hildegard von Bingen. Freiburg: Herder.
- Southern, R.W. (1990). Saint Anselm: A Portrait in a Landscape. Cambridge: CUP.
- Pieper, J. (1957). The Silence of St. Thomas. London: Faber & Faber.