## Sources and Bibliography: Sources used in article: #STS - [[Sacrae Theologiae Summa]] (Ia) - *St. Thomas [[Aquinas]]*: I.1.1-10 - Filip, *Introduzione della teologie* (class notes) - [[Benedict Ashley]]. *The Way Toward Wisdom* - Chad [[Ripperger]]. "The Role of the Theological Virtue of Faith in Scriptural Interpretation," 2006 - [[Garrigou-Lagrange]], *De Revelatione. General Bibliography: - *Doctrine of the Church* ## *Theology:* The science about God and about divine realities. (T . l c . l n .1-5) - *science:* an ordered and connected complex of certain knowledge from its causes. - Two kinds: - *Natural:* derives its knowledge about God from truths known or demonstrated by the light of natural reason - attains its *material* *object* inasmuch as it is knowable by natural reason. - ascends from the knowledge of creatures to God - *Supernatural:* theology simply and in the strict sense. - Derives its knowledge from principles known by the divine revelation of faith, and it attains its object inasmuch as it is knowable from divine revelation. - in this its *formal object* is different from natural theology. - descends from the knowledge of God and his revelation to the knowledge of other things. ## *Principles of Theology* No science proves its own principles. The principles of theology come from a higher science (the science of God and the blessed), i.e. Revelation. - Hence, "This doctrine is especially based upon arguments from authority, inasmuch as its principles are obtained by revelation." (ST I.1.8 ad 2). ## *Object of Theology:* From Filip - *Material object*: God and his creation. - *Creation:* broad sense; everything that is not God but originates in God. - Considered *always* in relation to God. - God is the *per se* material object, creatures are the *per accidens* material object ([[Ripperger]]) - This universality makes theology not only science, but above all wisdom. - The *material object* of any science is "the concrete existing *things* that (the science) studies" ([[Benedict Ashley]]). - *Formal object* **quod**: God from the point of view of divinity (*Deus sub ratione Deitatis*) ([[1- GLOSSARY/Terms/Garrigou-Lagrange|Garrigou-Lagrange]]). - *Formal object quod* is that *point of view* by which one is looking at some thing. - *Formal object* **quo**: Revelation. - *Formal object quo* is *the principle or means by the light of which* a science knows. - Two kinds: - *virtual*: theology - i.e. things *implied* in Revelation. - *formal*: faith. - i.e. Sacred Scripture and tradition. - *Faith* and *theology* have the same *material* and *formal object quod,* and are distinguished from each other by the *formal object quo*, that is, *formal* and *virtual* Revelation respectively. - The *formal object* (*quod* and *quo*) of any science is "the aspect of that material thing with which the science is concerned" ([[Benedict Ashley]]). - *Subject*: "The subject and the object of this science could be distinguished, but this is of little importance, for they are commonly understood as being the same." ([[Garrigou-Lagrange]], *DR*, ch.1. a. 1.B) - see footnote 20 in above work for distinctions. - cf. [[Ratzinger]]: "the object of theology is the Truth which is the living God and His plan for salvation revealed in Jesus Christ" (CDF, *Donum veritatis* (1990), p. 8). - cf. St. Thomas: the formal object of *faith* is the First Truth (see *Faith* below) ## *Method of Theology* From [[Ripperger]] - Proceeds in two ways: - *Induction:* draws from a variety of places in Scripture or Tradition and comes to a conclusion about some doctrine. - ex. hypostatic union (Tanqueray). - *Deduction:* the articles of faith, i.e. the things revealed, constitute principles from which we deduce other things contained within the articles of faith. ## *Theology and faith:* - Two kinds of principles: - *objective*: the articles of faith and also the teaching revealed by God supernaturally and publicly. - these principles are derived from the science (*scientiam*) of God and the blessed. Therefore theology is subalternate to the science of God and the blessed. - those without faith and heretics do not have true theology. - *subjective:* the work of man in theology is reason illumined by faith. (cf. [[Vatican I]], *Dei Filius,* ch. 4, D 3016) - theology is a help for teaching the faith and for understanding and relishing faith. ## *Faith:* a supernatural virtue whereby, inspired and assisted by the grace of God, we believe that what he has revealed is true, not because the intrinsic truth of things is recognized by the natural light of reason, but because of the authority of God himself who reveals them, who can neither err nor deceive. ([[Vatican I]], *Dei Filius.* D 3008.) - *Object of faith:* - *Material:* God and his creatures (in relation to God). - "God is the material object of each of the theological virtues...the material object is not merely God but other things that have an order to God" (Ripperger, *The Role of*). - *Formal:* the First Truth (ST II-II.1.1 resp). - The formal object is what distinguishes each theological virtue from the others. - *Act of faith:* To give assent. - *Assent:* an act of the intellect in which the intellect sees or adheres to some proposition as true. - The act of faith is also called *belief.* Thus a *believer* is one who gives assent to what God reveals. - Since the theological virtues concern a supernatural object, only a supernatural act of the intellect is *proportionate* to that object. (Ripperger) - *The proximate rule of faith:* The proximate, immediate and supreme norm or rule of faith for a Catholic is *the teaching of the living Magisterium of the Church, which is authentic and traditional* - "If one does not put one's rule in the authority that has the right to teach (Magisterium), then the rule finds itself in the will, resulting in it becoming a matter of opinion" (Ripperger) - For the theologian, his first task will be to know or to establish the doctrine itself of faith as proposed by the proximate norm of faith, the magisterium of the Church, or to investigate what the magisterium of the Church says about each thing. - this is only the beginning of theology, not what uniquely constitutes it. - [[Pius XII]], [[Humani generis]]: "... this sacred office of teacher in matters of faith and morals *must be the proximate and universal criterion of truth for all theologians*, since to it has been entrusted by Christ our Lord the whole deposit of faith— Sacred Scripture and divine tradition—to be preserved, guarded, and interpreted...” (D 3884) ## *Positive theology and scholastic (speculative) theology:* - Division according to *method:* - *Positive theology:* justify theological datum through its causes, i.e. demonstrates what revealed truths the positive sources (Scripture, Tradition) contain. - *the intellect seeking faith*; that is, reason seeks what the sources of revelation and faith contain - developed during the age of the renaissance and modern times in response to [[Protestantism]] and [[Humanism]]. - *Doctrine of the Church:* - the cultivation of this theology is desired explicitly by the Church. - [[Pius X]], [[Pascendi]]: “We will add that We deem worthy of praise those who with full respect for tradition, the holy Fathers, and the ecclesiastical magisterium, undertake, with well-balanced judgment and guided by Catholic principles (which is not always the case), seek to illustrate *positive theology* by throwing the light of true history upon it. Certainly more attention must be paid to positive theology than in the past, but this must be done without detriment to scholastic theology, and those are to be disapproved as of Modernist tendencies who exalt positive theology in such a way as to seem to despise the scholastic.” cf. [[Modernism]]. - *[[Pius XII]]*, *[[Humani generis]]*: "even *positive theology* *cannot be on a par with merely historical science*. For, together with the sources of positive theology, God has given to his Church a living Teaching Authority to elucidate and explain what is contained in the deposit of faith only obscurely and implicitly. This deposit of faith our divine Redeemer has given for authentic interpretation, not to each of the faithful, *nor even to theologians*, but only to the Teaching Authority of the Church." (D 3886). - *Speculative* or *scholastic theology:* proceeds especially with the speculative method and is the theological function which flourished mainly in the schools of the Middle Ages and it achieved great splendor also by the scholastics in the age of the renaissance. - *faith seeking understanding.* - *Doctrine of the Church:* - The Church strongly defends this theological function. D 2670 (against the [[Synod of Pistoia]]), 2814 (Bonnetty), 2828 (Gunther), 2876, 2913. - [[Pius X]], [[Pascendi]]: “For scholastic philosophy and theology they (Modernists) have only ridicule and contempt. Whether it is ignorance or fear, or both, that inspires this conduct in them, certain it is that the passion for novelty is always united in them with hatred of scholasticism, and there is no surer sign that a man is on the way to [[Modernism|Modernism]] than when he begins to show his dislike for this system....” cf. [[1- GLOSSARY/Terms/Modernism|Modernism]]. - [[Pius XII]], [[Humani generis]]: "...to neglect, or to reject, or to deprive so many great things of their value, which in many instances have been conceived, expressed, and perfected after long labor, by men or no ordinary genius and sanctity, under the watchful eye of the holy magisterium, and not without the light and guidance of the Holy Spirit for the expression of the truths of faith ever more accurately, so that in their place conjectural notions may be substituted, as well as certain unstable and vague expressions of a new philosophy, which like a flower of the field exists today and will die tomorrow, not only is the highest imprudence, but also makes dogma itself as a reed shaken by the wind. *Moreover, the contempt for the words and ideas which the scholastic theologians customarily use tends to weaken so-called speculative theology, which they think is void of true certitude, since it rests on theological reasoning.* Surely it is lamentable that those eager for novelty easily pass from a contempt for scholastic theology to a neglect, and even disrespect for the magisterium of the Church...” (D 2312f., 34th edition). - The faith is explained more clearly, namely: - a) revealed truths that are less known *are explained and demonstrated with the help of others* that are better known and “from the articles of faith it goes on to prove something else” - b) the truths of faith are *explained from the analogy to the things it knows naturally* - c) from revealed truths *new truths are deduced*, which therefore are virtually contained in them; this takes place especially with the help of philosophy. - d) The connection between the revealed truths is demonstrated and they are organized into a *scientific system.* ## *Subject of Theology:* (T . l c . l n .8 -13; S.Th., I q. 1, a. 7.) - *Subject (of any science)*: that which primarily is subjected to consideration and investigation. - *Subject of theology:* God. - Other ways of considering and ordering theological ideas are possible, according to the center or nucleus (v.gr., the incarnate Word) which is chosen, and according to the end (speculative, practical and kerygmatic) that is intended. ## **Theological Places:** the sources of theological knowledge, whether to find it, or to pass judgment on what has been found. - Two kinds: - *Proper*: those sources of argumentation proper to theology, which manifest revealed doctrine itself. *The fundamental and constituent sources* are those that contain revelation and constitute it: Scripture and Tradition. - *Theological reasoning:* a form of argumentation from a revealed premise and a rationally known premise; it shows the virtualities of revelation. - *Adjunct:* those that contribute to a better understanding and confirmation of the revealed doctrine: Philosophy, history, etc - The places: - *Theologians:* - Melchior Cano and Sylvius teach that: "concordem omnium theologorurn sententiam in rebus fidei aut morum rejicere, si non est haeresis, est tamen haeresi proximum (To reject the unanimous opinion of all theologians in matters of faith or morals, if it is not heresy, is nevertheless close to heresy)." Fenton, *The Teaching of the Theological Manuals*. - Name borrowed from Rhetoric or from the work of the Farmer ([[Rodolphus Agricola]]), *De inventione dialectica*. - *Most famous work:* *De locis theologicis*, [[Melchior Cano]]. - see: ![[(Diagram) Division of Theological Places.canvas]] - *Function of liturgy*: - Two kinds of liturgies: - *Local:* teach us the belief of a Father or church. - *Universal:* imply a universal tradition and magisterium (ordinary). ## Theoretical (dogmatic) theology and practical theology: (T. l C. l N . 14-18) - By division of *matter:* - *Theoretical:* deals with truths that are not ordained immediately and directly to the direction of man’s actions. Ordered immediately to the contemplation of truth. - mediately and indirectly it does have a practical object, namely, the action whereby the spirit lives that truth. - also called *dogmatic theology*, because it is very much concerned with dogmas or with those revealed truths, which have been proposed by the Church as such. - *St. Thomas [[Aquinas]]*: sacred doctrine is more speculative than practical, because it deals more with divine things than it does with human acts (ST I.1.4) - *Practical:* deals with truths that tend directly to govern the life of man. - Three kinds: - *Moral:* concerned with human action according as it is licit or illicit, or according as it should be in conformity with the supernatural norm of morality. - *Spiritual:* i.e. *ascetical* or *mystical*: studies the supernatural perfection of human action and life. - *Pastoral:* studies the way of conducting oneself in the care of souls. - *St. [[Bonaventure]]:* emphasizes the practical and affective aspect in theology. Argues that if theology is considered in an intermediate way, as born to be extended to the affections, it is perfected by an intermediate habit between the purely speculative and the purely practical, and this habit is *wisdom*, which consists in both knowledge and affection. (In 1 Sent, prooem. q.3) ## Kerygmatic theology: ordained for the kerygma or for preaching. - insists especially on the good of the dogmas as a way of moving the will of one's hearers. - "we think that the authors who have worked hard in this area are worthy of praise; but *it does not therefore seem to be necessary to construct an independent or autonomous theology*." - The earliest citation for this division of theology is 1939 (Ketch). - *Kerygma:* denotes the irreducible essence of Christian apostolic proclamation (Wikipedia) - *[[Pius X]], [[Lamentabili]]:* One should be careful as to not fall under the following condemnations: "(It is an error to say that): 3. From the ecclesiastical judgments and censures passed against free and more scientific exegesis, one can conclude that the Faith the Church proposes contradicts history and that Catholic teaching cannot really be reconciled with the true origins of the Christian religion;" "59. Christ did not teach a determined body of doctrine applicable to all times and all men, but rather inaugurated a religious movement adapted or to be adapted to different times and places." - *[[Rudolf Bultmann]]:* *Jesus Christ and Mythology* (1960). "Christian preaching is *kerygma*, that is, a proclamation addressed not to the theoretical reason, but to the hearer as a self" (Bultmann, ch. 3.1; Ketch). - cf. *[[Lamentabili]]*: It is an error to say that: "20. Revelation could be nothing else than the consciousness man acquired of his relation to God." (Ketch) - Notable works: *Kerygma and dogma*, [[Karl Rahner]] and [[Karl Lehmann]] (1969); *Kerygma and Myth: A Theological Debate,* [[Rudolf Bultmann]] (1961). ***Division of Theology:*** #filip - *Fundamental Theology:* - Apologetics. - *Moral:* - Dominicans divide moral theology by virtues. Jesuits divide by Decalogue. - *Dogmatic*: - i. Of the One God (*Theology*) - ii. Of the Triune God (*Trinitarian Theology*) - ii. Of God the Creator (*Creation Theology*) - *contains:* angelology; demonology; theological anthropology. - iv. Of God the Redeemer (*Christology*) - *contains*: soteriology; mariology (includes josephology). - v. Of God the Sanctifier (*pneumatology*) - *contains:* ecclesiology; caritology (theology of grace); sacramentology. - vi. Of God the Remunerator (*escatology*) - *Disciplines which prepare for the higher disciplines:* - *Biblical theology:* - *studies:* biblical hermeneutics; biblical exegesis - *Patrology* and *patristics* - *studies:* - Doctors of the Church - Have these characteristics: 1) Extant authorship; 2) orthodox doctrine; 3) holy life; 4) attestation as such by the Church; 5) Antiquity. - cf. Fortescue, *The Greek Fathers,* preface. - Ancient Christian authors - e.g. [[Origen]], [[Lactantius]], [[Tertullian]], - Both attest to the Tradition of the Church. - *Theology of the* symbolon: Studies the correct interpretation of the symbol (creed) of the faith, dogmas. - *Other disciplines*: history (Church). - *Disciplines which are derived from the higher disciplines*: - *Spiritual Theology:* Uses principles of dogmatic and moral theology and applies them to the experience of the saints. Shows continuity between experience and dogma. - experiences can be either extraordinary (i.e. in the lives of the saints) or more common. - started by Fr. [[Garrigou-Lagrange]] (Angelicum) and [[Joseph de Guibert ]](Gregorian). - *Pastoral Theology:* Studies the actions of pastors in the Church. - started by St. [[Peter Canisius]] in 16th century. - *Liturgical Theology* - *Canon Law* - See: ![[(Diagram) Division of Fundamentals and Dogma.canvas|(Diagram) Division of Fundamentals and Dogma]] ## Theology and progress: (T . l c . l N. 18-22). - *theological study of earthly things* - e.g.: human societies, cultures and civilizations, fine arts, industry, human labor, the body, technology. - by this study from the sources of revelation the spiritual values of temporal things will become apparent and the separation between the kingdom of Christ and temporal realities in many human societies may be avoided - *New theology ([[nouvelle théologie]])*: - *adherents:* Chenu, Congar, Rahner, Balthasaar, *Communio* school. - [[Pius XII]], allocution to the Jesuit Fathers at the 19th General Congregation (1946): "...in the choice of a way of speaking it is necessary that they wisely accommodate their words to the temperament and propensities of their own time. But no one should disturb or move what is immovable... When new or free questions are raised, the principles of Catholic doctrine should always be clear in their minds; what sounds completely new in theological matters should be evaluated with vigilant caution..." - [[Pius XII]], [[Humani generis]]: "It is evident from what We have already said, that such tentatives not only lead to what they call dogmatic relativism, but that they actually contain it. The contempt of doctrine commonly taught and of the terms in which it is expressed strongly favor it...the things that have been composed through common effort by Catholic teachers over the course of the centuries to bring about some understanding of dogma are certainly not based on any such weak foundation...Hence to neglect, or to reject,or to devalue so many and such great resources which have been conceived, expressed and perfected so often by the age-old work of men endowed with no common talent and holiness, working under the vigilant supervision of the holy magisterium and with the light and leadership of the Holy Ghost in order to state the truths of the faith ever more accurately, to do this so that these things may be replaced by conjectural notions and by some formless and unstable tenets of a new philosophy, tenets which, like the flowers of the field, are in existence today and die tomorrow; this is supreme imprudence and something that would make dogma itself a reed shaken by the wind. The contempt for terms and notions habitually used by scholastic theologians leads of itself to the weakening of what they call speculative theology, a discipline which these men consider devoid of true certitude because it is based on theological reasoning..." - cf. [[Modernism]]; Semi-modernism. ## On the method of learning: - *under the leadership of the teaching Church:* - *First:* he has deep knowledge of the foundations of the Catholic religion and intimately grasps the motives of credibility of the faith - *Second:* he acquire for himself the clear and correct, solid and intimate knowledge of the dogmas, and of the other revealed truths, while not neglecting the other doctrines that are connected with dogma or are derived from dogma. - *Third:* obtain for himself a systematic and fully scientific grasp of the whole doctrine, and *fortified by it he will be able to devote himself more efficaciously both to his own spiritual salvation and to the salvation of others.* - *The teaching of St. Thomas:* since it is more solid and more secure and more approved by the Church, should be followed conscientiously. - Many commendations of the Angelic and Common Doctor have been given by the Supreme Pontiffs. - see Kelly Bowring, "Appendix One: A Survey of Magisterial Support for St. Thomas Aquinas," *To Hold and Teach the Catholic Faith.* More than 50 pages of Papal (and Conciliar) approbations of St. Thomas and his supreme importance for theological science. - *[[Benedict XV]],* [[Deus scientiarum Dominus]]: “In the Theological Faculty let sacred Theology (dogmatic) have the first place. This discipline is to be handed on by the positive and scholastic method; therefore the truths of the faith having been explained and proved from Holy Scripture and Tradition, the nature and inner reason of these truths should be studied and clarified according to the principles and teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas” - *Method of scholastic disputation*: - Seven exercises of [[Juan Maldonado]] (1533 - 1583): - 1) after the lecture while it is still fresh in the mind, that they repeat it either in the school or elsewhere, according as they have understood everything rightly and committed it to memory. - 2) that at another hour on the same day they repeat it again and debate it in the school or elsewhere in the presence of the teacher. - 3) on Saturday or feast days they debate in school or elsewhere in the presence of the teacher for two hours. - 4) every month they have more formal disputations for half a day, where not only the pupils but also the professors take part in the debate. - 5) every year, before the general repetition of studies, they conduct disputations for a day or two with as much celebration as possible. - 6) they should have prelections on the matter sometimes privately at home, so that they gradually learn to be teachers. - 7) they treat some question in writing and submit it to the professor for correction. ## Theology and priestly life: - Theology is necessary for the priestly ministry. - “The lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth” Mal. 2:7. - *Liturgy of Ordination*: the earnest wish is expressed that the new priests may be "mature in knowledge, and that their teaching be spiritual medicine for the people of God; and by meditating on the divine law day and night, that they believe what they read, that they teach what they believe, and that they imitate what they teach." - St. Paul recommended to St. Timothy that "he take heed to himself and to his teach­ing, holding to that, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." - Theology is necessary for the spiritual life of the priest. - [[Pius XI]], [[Unigenitus Deus]]: "For someone would err if he should think, having neglected theological studies either before the priesthood or ignored afterwards, that they could, lacking all that abundance, which is absorbed from those sacred doctrines, by the knowledge of God and of the mysteries of faith, easily rise on high and be elevated and raised to that intimate union with God." - *Contra*: [[Quietism]], [[Michael de Molinos]]: this statement was condemned, at least as tendentious: "a theologian is less disposed than an ignorant man for the contemplative state" (D 2264).