Institute for Saint Anselm Studies

The Institute for Saint Anselm Studies is an academic research center conducted by Saint Anselm College and established to promote and encourage the study of the life, thought, and spirituality of Saint Anselm of Canterbury, the patron of the college.

By means of its resources, facilities, and programs, the institute offers to the college's faculty and students and to the larger scholarly community the opportunity and means to bring Saint Anselm into living contact with the culture of the twenty-first century.

While the philosophical, theological, and ecclesiological accomplishments of Saint Anselm have historical value that the institute seeks to explore and articulate, it is a further goal of the institute to uncover their perennial value for the nourishing of Christian wisdom, the stimulating of reflection on critical issues, and the deepening of personal spirituality.

From Idea to Reality

In the spring of 1999, a small group of faculty got together to discuss informally what the college might do to celebrate the millennium. The result of this discussion was to host a conference on the college's patron, Saint Anselm of Canterbury. The theme of the conference, which was held in spring 2000, was Saint Anselm, his origins and influence.

The original faculty group became the conference committee, which included Fr. John Fortin, O.S.B. (philosophy), chair; Joseph Constance (library); Kevin Staley (philosophy and humanities); Kevin McMahon (theology); James O'Rourke (philosophy); Sylvia Shannon (history). The conference was a great success, attended by some 40 Anselm scholars from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain who presented findings from their research.

Following the conference, Fr. John Fortin, O.S.B. developed a proposal to create an institute that would carry on the work of the conference as well as the sponsorship of a variety of other programs related to Saint Anselm, his life, teaching, and spirituality. His proposal was submitted to the executive vice-president and dean of the college in May 2000.

Over the course of the fall and winter of 2000-2001, an ad hoc committee was appointed by the dean to review the institute proposal and a report was presented to the board of trustees, who approved the proposal and work began by the college administration to structure organizational and management details.

In June 2001, Fr. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B., president of the college, announced the creation of the Institute for Saint Anselm Studies and that Fr. John Fortin, O.S.B. would serve as its first director.

In the fall of 2001, an advisory committee was established to assist the director with various aspects of institute, including James O'Rourke (philosophy), chair; Elona Lucas (English), secretary; Duane Bruce (assistant); Joseph Constance (library); Fr. Augustine Kelly, O.S.B. (dean); Kevin McMahon (theology); Kevin Staley (philosophy and humanities).

Programs & Events

June 9-10
Metaphysics Colloquium: Apologetics and the Rational Defense of the Tenets of Christian Faith

Call for Papers

The Institute for Saint Anselm Studies invites papers for a conference on Christian apologetics. The central address, to be given by Matthew Levering, will focus on the doctrine of the Incarnation. However, papers are invited on reason’s examination, defense, and critical analysis of any of the teachings that belong to Christian and Catholic faith.

Selected papers will be published in The Saint Anselm Journal.

Please send an abstract of 100-200 words to mbrown@anselm.edu by February 23, 2026.

John and Judy Paul Summer Research Grant

The Institute for Saint Anselm Studies is accepting applications for the 2026 John and Judy Paul Summer Research Grant, which is offered to doctoral candidates and those who recently completely doctoral studies (within last four years) working on some area of Anselm studies. The Institute provides the recipient with an opportunity to do research for a week in the extensive O’Rourke Saint Anselm Collection at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire.

The exact period of the grant is to be decided by the recipient but will fall between the dates of May 20 and June 30. Travel reimbursement will be covered up to $1300, and housing for six nights will be provided with $60 per diem reimbursement for food. The recipient will have library privileges for the week. Special access will be arranged for times when the library is normally closed.

The application should include your name, academic affiliation, research topic with a brief explanation of the project (300-400 words), a current CV, and a letter of reference from someone familiar with your work. A report on the research of 3-4 pages will be expected as well as a citation in the dissertation or article if published. A copy of the dissertation or the article for the Collection would also be expected.

Apply through email or regular mail by March 1, 2026, to:

Prof. Montague Brown
Director, Institute for Saint Anselm Studies
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH 03102
mobrown@anselm.edu

2026 Donald J. Keefe, S.J., Summer Research Fellowship

The Institute for Saint Anselm Studies is accepting applications for the 2026 Donald J. Keefe, S.J., Summer Research Fellowship. Candidates must have already completed or be enrolled in a graduate degree program. The purpose of the fellowship is to enable the recipient to examine in depth an issue in philosophy, theology, or theological metaphysics that is also addressed in the work of Donald Keefe. In addition to the published works of Fr. Keefe, the Geisel Library at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, houses the Donald J. Keefe Papers which, among other unpublished works, includes the latest versions of Volumes III and V of Covenantal Theology.

The period of the grant will be the week of the annual Metaphysics Colloquium, which this coming year is the week of June 7-13, 2026. Travel reimbursement will be covered up to $1300, and housing for six nights will be provided with $60 per diem reimbursement for food. The recipient will have library privileges for the week.

For more information on the Institute for Saint Anselm College, please consult the Centers & Institutes page on the Saint Anselm College webpage (www.anselm.edu). For more information on the work of Donald J. Keefe Papers, please consult the Geisel Library website.