This paper analyzes Thomas Aquinas’ sources for his explanation of the theological virtue of charity, as it appears in his philosophical masterpiece Summa Contra Gentiles. The two sources of information analyzed in this paper are Aristotle’s Ethics and the scriptures; Aquinas borrows heavily from these two sources in his explanation of charity. In light of the analysis of the Aquinas’s sources of information, this paper answers the following question: For what principle reason or reasons is the moral life, animated by supernatural charity, a life enlivened by the Holy Spirit?
In his explanation of the theological virtue of charity, Aquinas built his argument mainly from Aristotle’s understanding of friendship in the Nicomachean Ethics book VIII and quotations from the Scriptures. Let us begin with the analysis of the Aristotle’s work that the angelic doctor quoted in his explanation of charity. The following are the ideas of Aristotle that Aquinas quoted in his argument on the nature of charity.
The first idea of Aristotle that Aquinas quoted is the Aristotle’s idea that nothing is as appropriate to friendship as dwelling together. In the Nichomachean Ethics book VIII chapter 5, Aristotle says the following on living together as one of the main characteristics of friendship,” For there is nothing so characteristic of friends as living together” . In this quotation, Aristotle made it crystal clear that living together is one of the defining qualities of friendship. In his argument on the nature of charity, Aquinas had to explain how charity is a kind of friendship between God and man, and yet God as a spiritual being does not dwell with a man, who has a physical body.
The second idea of Aristotle that Aquinas used in his explanatio...
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...fe is animated by supernatural charity, a life enlivened by the Holy Spirit, is that the supernatural charity compliments the moral virtues. As we have seen above, although the moral virtues lead people to God, the moral virtues are, however, deficient and they need to be complimented by divine charity that goes beyond moral virtues. As Aquinas argued, the grace of charity inclines the will to do charitable actions, which are divine actions. The grace of charity will enable us to live in perfect freedom, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit . For this reason, the moral life should be animated by supernatural charity, so that moral life of the person may be complete, and this will enable the person to be easily united with God. A moral life, therefore, enlivened by the Holy Spirit will be a more perfect moral life than a moral life that relies only on moral virtues.
Aquinas, St. Thomas. COMMENTARY on SAINT PAUL'S EPISTLE to the GALATIANS. Trans. F. R. Larcher. Albany: Magi Books, 1996.
Religion was an important part to the medieval society and the development of medieval synthesis. An important person that contributed to this was Saint Thomas Aquinas between 1225-1274. His “Summa Theologica” was an important element that influenced the synthesis. The Summa Theologica simply means theological summary. His idea presents the highest example of the medieval synthesis of faith and reason. The summary included the proof of existence of God and man. It described the relationship between the two and how a man’s reconciliation with the Divine is possible through Christ. This shows that Aquinas believed the cosmological argument that shows proofs for the existence of God and its reason. Aquinas Summa Theologica also described the nature and purpose of human being. He devoted his attention to the nature of God and its role that show relationship between God and man. Aquinas tried to explain the origin and purpose of the universe. He also tried to show the different roles that live in the universe and their purpose. Aquinas never doubts...
17, No. 3, p. 252-259. Urmson, J.O., (1988). Aristotle’s Ethics (Blackwell), ch.1. Wilkes, K.V., (1978). The Good Man and the Good for Man in Aristotle’s Ethics. Mind 87; repr.
Thomas Aquinas’ many-sided theory of goodness is that it can be found in all things in some way, and Christopher Hughes deeply explores this in his reading Aquinas on Being, Goodness, and God.
I chose to write about Aristotle and his beliefs about how the virtuous human being needs friends from Book VIII from Nicomachean Ethics. In this essay I will talk about the three different kinds of friendship that (Utility, Pleasure, and Goodness) that Aristotle claims exist. I will also discuss later in my paper why Aristotle believes that Goodness is the best type of friendship over Utility or Pleasure. In addition to that I will also talk about the similarities and differences that these three friendships share between one another. And lastly I will argue why I personally agree with Aristotle and his feelings on how friendship and virtue go hand in hand and depend on each other.
In the above essay, I analyzed Aquinas’s efficient cause argument and presented Russell’s objections to some of the claims that Aquinas made. I then showed how Russell’s objection failed based mainly on the fact that the first cause is something that is unchanging. This, in turn, supported Aquinas’s argument for the existence of God.
Thomas Aquinas and Maimonides are both heavily influential thinkers and philosophers in theology. They each, though, have a concept of the names of God and how it is possible to speak about the essence and being of God. While Maimonides holds a position of negative theology, that the only things that may be said of God are those which he is not because of the issues superiority of God’s being, Aquinas believes that is it possible to affirm features of God based on the nature of God and his believers. Because of this, it seems that Aquinas takes on a more agreeable perspective on the attributes of God
To achieve this topic, I have sectioned my paper into three main sections, in which I have subsections supporting. In the first section, I will provide much information about Aristotle and his beliefs in virtue and obtaining happiness. Using information from his book of ethics I will provide examples and quote on quote statements to support his views. In the second section, I will provide my agreements as to why I relate and very fond of Aristotle’s book of Nicomachean Ethics. In the third section, I will provide research as to why there are such objections to Aristotle’s book of ethics, and counter act as to why I disagree with them. Lastly I will conclude much of my and as well as Aristotle’s views on ethics and why I so strongly agree with this route of ethics for humans.
The importance of the ultimate good must act as an entire rule of life, we must behave in a matter that is tending to the perfect good (Stephens, 2015, p. 324). Aquinas argues that for every action there must be an order of intention, that there must be a final cause that motivates us to act in the first place,this action must be always be reliable and consistent for the intention of the cause which is the ultimate good (Van-Nieuwenhove & Wawrykow, 2005).
Aristotle wrote on many subjects in his lifetime but one of the virtues that he examines more extensively is friendship. Aristotle believes that there are three different kinds of friendship: utility, pleasure, and virtuous friendships. He also argues that a real friendship should be highly valued because it is a complete virtue and he believes it to be greater than honor and justice. Aristotle suggests that human’s love of utility and pleasure is the only reason why the first two types of friendships exist. Aristotle also argues that humans only set up these types of relationships for personal gain. But when he speaks of the virtuous friendships, Aristotle states that it is one of the greatest attainments one can achieve.
Thomas Aquinas was a teacher of the Dominican Order and he taught that most matters of The Divine can be proved by natural human reason, while “Others were strictly ‘of faith’ in that they could be grasped only through divine revelation.” This was a new view on the faith and reason argument contradictory to both Abelard with his belief that faith should be based on human reason, and the Bernard of Clairvaux who argued that one should only need faith.
Thomas Aquinas. Faith, Reason and Theology. Armand Maurer,translator. Mediæval Sources in Translation, vol. 32. Pontifical Institute of Mediæval Studies, Toronto : 1987.
Thomas Aquinas was born into a rather noble family although having it been split by Aristotle for 900 years. Born in 1225 in Roccasecca,Italy his father Landolph, count, of Aquinas his father sent him to Monte Castro. There he received care from the Benedictines as well as excelled above his pupils not only in academics but also virtue. After five years in the Monte Castro he then advanced to the University of Naples where he received a interest in contemporary monastic orders as well as continued his study of Aristotle. He also found a strong interest in those who chose to pursue a more spiritual life opposed to being more laid back with their spiritual views. In 1243 despite strong resignation from his family he joined the Dominican monastic order at Cologin. His parents went as far as sending impure women to break his spiritual virtue. However he was able to withstand these temptations and preserve his vocation. When that failed it is said that his parents then went out to kidnap him in order to minimize his spiritual belief. Following a year of imprisonment he was able to hold onto what the church and University taught him. Thomas Aquinas was able to receive gods gift of perfect chastity therefore receiving the nickname “Angelic Doctor”. From 1245 to 1252, St. Thomas Aquinas continued his studies with the Dominicans in Naples, Paris as well as Cologne. He was ordained into priesthood in Cologne, Germany, in 1250. He then went to teach theology at the University of Paris. Under the instruction of St. Albert the Great, St. Thomas Aquinas earned his doctorate in theology. Consistent with the holy hermit's prediction who predicted about St. Thomas Aquinas ...
Moral Theology is a branch of theology, the science of God and Devine things. It is also considered as the study of the ‘beginning and the end of a man’s moral life’ and essentially the analysis of how one should act. As a Roman Catholic life is marked by interior devotion to God and following the Ten Commandments. Theology, is understood to mean supernatural theology that is the science of God and Devine things, in as far as it based on supernatural Revelation. The focusing theme contains not only God in his essence, but also his actions, and his works of salvation and the guidance, which are led to God whom will be our supernatural end. Through our knowledge of all these truths is necessary for every man to understand the broadest outlines, and is acquired by Christian faith. Theology demands the knowledge won through faith, and as it deepens it expands and strengthens so that our faith can be better understood and defined by the reasons. An example of this a house is built to live in, a clock made to keep time. But what of the “end” to which we as human beings aspire? Thinking of this “end” not as an end point, but as completion as fullness.
“All of morals comes down to the virtues.” (Keenan, 142) Keenan asserts that these virtues are the cardinal virtues, consisting of courage, temperance, justice, and prudence, and date back to Aristotle in Ancient Greece. The word cardinal is derived from the root, cardo, meaning hinge. Simply stated, the Christian moral life hinges on the cardinal virtues. Keenan suggests an updating of the cardinal virtues to become justice, fidelity, self-care, and prudence. He provides reasoning for the new virtue list. He defines each virtue with its social implications. For example, individuals should seek to set up society with equal justice for all persons. These descriptions help the Christian understand when the virtues are best applicable to self and/or others. Thomas Aquinas adds three theological virtues to the mix: faith, hope, and charity. Familiar from the thirteenth chapter of I Corinthians, these virtues seek to help Christian theologians through the ages maintain the integrity of the Gospel and continue to make it relevant in the modern world. Keenan recounts Bernard of Clairvaux’s beliefs that cultivating the virtues is a way to assimilate with the humanity of Jesus. (Keenan, 136) According to Aquinas, “Every human action is a moral action.” (Keenan, 142) The purpose of the virtues is to guide Christians, and when the Christian studies and applies the virtues to his life, his actions will demonstrate morality. The Bible heralds in Proverbs 3:32, “Devious people are detestable to the Lord, but the virtuous are his close