Aquinas on Faith, Reason, and Charity

This book offers a new reading of Aquinas' views on faith. The author argues that the theological nature of faith is crucial to Aquinas' thought, and that it gives rise to a peculiar and otherwise incomprehensible relationship with reason.

This book offers a new reading of Aquinas's views on faith. The author argues that the theological nature of faith is crucial to Aquinas's thought, and that it gives rise to a particular and otherwise incomprehensible relationship with reason.

The first part of the book examines various modern and contemporary accounts of the relationship between faith and reason in Aquinas's thought. The author shows that these accounts are unconvincing because they exhibit what he calls a Lockean view of faith and reason, which maintains that the relationship between faith and reason should be treated only by way of evidence. In other words, the Lockean view ignores the specific nature of the Christian faith and the equally specific way it needs to relate to reason. The second part offers a comprehensive account of Aquinas's view of faith. It focuses on the way the divine grace and charity shape the relationship between evidence and human will. The final part of the book ties these ideas together to show how Christian faith, with its specifically theological nature, is perfectly compatible with rational debate. It also argues that employing the specificity of faith may constitute the best way to promote autonomous and successful rational investigations.

Aquinas on Faith, Reason, and Charity will be of interest to scholars and advanced students working on Aquinas, philosophy of religion, Christian theology, and medieval philosophy.

"We might be tempted to think that there is nothing new to say when it comes to the perennial debate between faith and reason, but Di Ceglie artfully dismantles this notion by showing us that we remain gridlocked by the assumptions of modernity. He allows Aquinas's insights to shine through with their original splendor, revealing that authentic faith is not a source of naivete or hubris but rather a gift from God." Stewart Clem, Aquinas Institute of Theology, USA

Autorentext

Roberto Di Ceglie is Full Professor of Philosophy of Religion at the Pontifical Lateran University, Italy. His essays have appeared in journals such as Philosophy, Philosophia, Sophia, International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, and others. His book God, the Good, and the Spiritual Turn in Epistemology is forthcoming.

Klappentext

This book offers a new reading of Aquinas's views on faith. The author argues that the theological nature of faith is crucial to Aquinas's thought, and that it gives rise to a particular and otherwise incomprehensible relationship with reason. The first part of the book examines various modern and contemporary accounts of the relationship between faith and reason in Aquinas's thought. The author shows that these accounts are unconvincing because they exhibit what he calls a Lockean view of faith and reason, which maintains that the relationship between faith and reason should be treated only by way of evidence. In other words, the Lockean view ignores the specific nature of the Christian faith and the equally specific way it needs to relate to reason. The second part offers a comprehensive account of Aquinas's view of faith. It focuses on the way the divine grace and charity shape the relationship between evidence and human will. The final part of the book ties these ideas together to show how Christian faith, with its specifically theological nature, is perfectly compatible with rational debate. It also argues that employing the specificity of faith may constitute the best way to promote autonomous and successful rational investigations. Aquinas on Faith, Reason, and Charity will be of interest to scholars and advanced students working on Aquinas, philosophy of religion, Christian theology, and medieval philosophy.

Zusammenfassung
This book offers a new reading of Aquinas' views on faith. The author argues that the theological nature of faith is crucial to Aquinas' thought, and that it gives rise to a peculiar and otherwise incomprehensible relationship with reason.

Inhalt

Introduction

Part I: Faith and Reason without Faith

1. Mutually Opposing Readings of Aquinas' View of Faith and Reason

2. Locke's Perspective as a Ground for Reading Aquinas' View of Faith and Reason

Part II: Aquinas on Faith, Evidence and Divine Grace

3. Evidence, Human Will and Divine Grace

4. Two Controversial Matters Related to Faith, Evidence, and Divine Grace

5. Faith and Charity, and the Varying Levels of Faith

Part III: Aquinas on Faith and Reason

6. Primacy of Faith and the Autonomy of Reason

7. Primacy of Faith as a Support of the Autonomy of Reason (Aquinas beyond Aquinas)

Conclusion