Aquinas as Authority A Collection of Studies Presented at the Second Conference of the Thomas Instituut Utrecht, December 14-16, 2000

178 Pages·2016·21.86 MB·English

by  Paul van Geest (Editor)

Paul VAN GEEST, Harm GORIS, Carlo LEGET (eds.)
publications of the Thomas Instituut te Utrecht
New Series, Volume VII
AQUINAS AS AUTHORITY
Editorial Board
Prof. dr. K.-W. Merks (Tilburg Faculty of Theology)
Prof. dr. H.W.M. Rikhof (Catholic Theological University, Utrecht)
Dr. H.J.M. Schoot (Catholic Theological University, Utrecht)
Prof. dr. R.A. te Velde (Til burg Faculty of Theology) A collection of studies presented at the second conference of the
Thomas Instituut te Utrecht, December 14 - 16,2000.
Managing Editor
Dr. H.J.M. Schoot (Catholic Theological University, Utrecht)
with contributions of
Previously published in this Series: Mishtooni Bose
John R. Bowlin
Vol. I Henk J.M. Schoot, Christ the 'Name' of God: Thomas Aquinas
Paul van Geest
on Naming Christ, 1993
Harm Goris
Vol. II Jan G.J. van den Eijnden ofm, Poverty on the Way to God.
John Inglis
Thomas Aquinas on Evangelical Poverty, 1994
Brian V. Johnstone
Vol. III Henk J.M. Schoot (ed.), Tibi soli peccavi. Thomas Aquinas on
Fergus Kerr
Guilt and Forgiveness, 1996
Bram de Klerck
Vol. IV Harm J.M.l Goris, Free Creatures of an Eternal God. Thomas
Carlo Leget
Aquinas on God's Infallible Foreknowledge and Irresistible Will,
David P. Liberto
1996
Sander van Maas
Vol. V Carlo Leget, Living with God. Thomas Aquinas on the Relation
Karl-Heinz zur Miihlen
between Life on Earth and 'Life' after Death, 1997
Otto Hermann Pesch
Vol. VI Wilhelmus G.B.M. Valkenberg, Words of the Living God. Place
Herwi Rikhof
and Function of Holy Scripture in the Theology of St. Thomas
Henk J.M. Schoot
Aquinas, 2000
Emmanuel Tourpe
Frans Vosman
PEETERS
© Stichting Thomasfonds -Utrecht LEUVEN
ISBN 90-429-1074-7
D.2002/0602/1 2002
\.~ .
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ...... ..... .... .. ...... ... ... . ..... .... VII
Paul van Geest, Harm Goris, Carlo Leget
I
Thomism in Fifteenth-Century Germany 1
Harm Goris
Early Thomist Reception of Aquinas' Christology: Henry of
Gorkum .. . ... ....... . . . ..... ...... . . .. ........... 25
Henk Schoot
Influence of Thomas Aquinas in the Via M oderna and Devotio
Moderna? Gabriel Biel's Debt to Thomas Aquinas. . . . . . . . . . . 39
Paul van Geest
On the Critical Reception of the Thought of Thomas Aquinas in
the Theology of Martin Luther. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Karl-Heinz zur Milhlen
Two Phases of Scholastic Self-Consciousness: Reflections on
Method in Aquinas and Pecock ... ... . .. .... .. . . . . . . . . . . 87
Mishtooni Bose' '
Freiheit, Liberte, or Free Choice: the Recovery of Aquinas after
1848 as Interpretation or Misinterpretation? ............ . . .. 109
John Inglis
II
Thomas Aquinas and Contemporary Theology 123
This volume is pliblished with the financial support of the Catholic
Otto Hermann Pesch
Theological University of Utrecht (KTU), the Royal Netherlands Acad
emy of Arts and Sciences (KNA W), the Netherlands Organization for
Thomas Aquinas: Conflicting Interpretations in Recent Anglo-
Scientific Research (NWO), the Radboudstichting, and the Stichting
phone Literature .... .... .. .... . . . ... . ... . . ......... . 165
Sormanifonds.
Fergus Kerr
-
VI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Debate on the Structure of the Summa Theologiae of
St. Thomas Aquinas: from Chenu (1939) to Metz (1998) 187
Brian Johnstone
INTRODUCTION
Person, Being, and Receptivity: W. Norris Clarke's Retrieval and
Paul van Gees!. Harm Goris. Carlo Lege!
Completion of Thomas' Thought . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 201
David Liberto
There is no doubt that Thomas Aquinas, together with Augustine, is
Aquinas' Authority in the Contemporary Theology of the Trinity 213
among the most influential authorities in the history of Western Christ
He/wi Rikhof
ian theology. Although Thomas was highly esteemed and consulted by
all classes during his lifetime, the case for his authority was by no means
Contemporary Protestant Thomism ... .... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 235
clear in the decennia following upon his death in 1274. On the contrary;
John Bowlin
in 1277 Stephen Tempier, bishop of Paris, and the Dominican Robert
Kilwardby, archbishop of Canterbury, condemned a list of theses, some
Thomas Aquinas, Founder of Modem Political and Social Thought?
of which were attributed to Aquinas. This provoked a debate, known as
Aquinas' Political-Ethical Philosophy According to John Finnis 253
the Correctoria-controversy, in which Aquinas' orthodoxy and the cor
Frans Vosman
rect interpretation of his thought were fiercely discussed. Only in 1324
- a year after Aquinas' canonization - was his work purged of the
Authority and Plausibility: Aquinas on Suicide ... ... ... .... 277
condemnations that had cast a shadow on his authority for almost half a
Carlo Leget
century.
From the first half of the fourteenth century onwards, the orthodoxy
Questions de methode: du Thomas historique au meta-Thomisme
of Aquinas was settled. However, the study of his works remained
speculatif .................... ............. .. .... " 295
limited to the Dominican Order. Only gradually, they gained more influ
Emmanuel Tourpe
ence, till by the middle of the sixteenth century the Summa Theologiae
Abstract: Questions of Method: From the Historical Thomas
had supplanted Peter Lombard's IV Libri Sententiarum as the textbook
to a Speculative Meta-Thomism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 305
of theology. It is said that the Summa was laid beside the Sacred Scrip
tures at the Council of Trent. In 1567 Dominican Pope Pius V pro
III
claimed Aquinas doctor ecclesiae.
Aquinas' Iconography in Late Medieval Italian Painting: the Some centuries later, in his attempts to provide Catholics with a
Spanish Chapel in Santa Maria Novella, Florence . . . . . . . . . . .. 307 coherent worldview and lucid answers to the problems of his day, Pope
Bram de Klerck Leo XIII (t1903) would draw upon Aquinas and his scholasticism
because of 'that ready and close coherence of cause and effect, ( ... ) those
The Reception of Aquinas in the Music of Olivier Messiaen 317 clear definitions and distinctions, that strength of argument and those
Sander van Maas keen discussions, by which light is distinguished from darkness, the true
from the false.'J The encyclical Aeterni Patris (1879) was the starting
On the Authors ............ ....................... " 333 point of an enormous revival in the study of Aquinas' legacy that would
dominate Catholic thought until the Second World' War. Although
Abbreviations of Aquinas' Works. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 337 Aquinas is the only Doctor of the Church that is named explicitly in the
I Leo XIII. Aetemi Parris, no. 16, quoting Pope Sixtus V's Bulla Triumphantis
Iiierusalem from 1588.
R
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VIII PAUL VAN GEEST. HARM GORIS. CARLO LEGET INTRODUCTION IX
documents of the Second Vatican Council, the mid-1960s also marked 2000. Some fifty scholars from all over thc world gathered for this occa
the rapid dwindling of interest in his works. sion in Leusden, in the neighbourhood of Uu·~cht. Participants came
from the United States, Russia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada,
Aquinas is regarded as an authority, but 'Thomism' is a notoriously
Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
ambiguous term. Through the centuries, theologians and philosophers
Lectures were given by Fergus Kerr OP (Oxford), Karl-Heinz zur
have interpreted Aquinas and (re-)constructed his thought in various
Miihlen (Bonn), John Inglis (Dayt,on), Otto Hermann Pesch (Miinchen).
ways. As a result of this, a rich variety of theological and philosophical
Hcrwi Rikhof, Paul van Geest, Hann Goris and Cilrlo Leget (all from
positions have appeared that claim to be inspired by the thought of
Utrecht). Papers were presentcd by Misht ani Bo e (Soutbampton),
Thomas Aquinas. Labelling those attempts as 'Thomism' can be helpful
Henk Schoot (Utrecht), Peter vun Veldhuijsen (Tiel), Dmitry Shmonin
in bringing some order into the history of thought. At the same time, (SI. Petersburg) Emmanuel Tourpe ( ouvain-Ia-Neuve), Mauricio
however, labels and classifications are always deceptive, obscuring the
Narv;iel. (Lou vain-la- euve), John Bowlin (Tulsa), David Liberto
multiplicity of interests that have inspired the use of Aquinas as author (Milwaukee), Julien Lambinet (Lollvain-Ia-Neuv ), David Twetten
ity. In fact, classifications like these - whether made by self-proclaimed (Milwaukee), Tadeusz Bartos OP (Worschuu), Wayne Hankey (Halifax),
'Thomists', adversaries or historians - raise many questions. What
Antoon Vos (Utrecht), Graham McAleer (Louvain/Baltimore) and Brian
aims did Aquinas' recipients have in mind and how did an appeal to
Johnstone CSsR (Rome).
Aquinas function in their attempts to reach these aims? To what extent Apart from the philosophical and theological contributions. there was
has their adoption of Aquinas' ideas and approaches been successful or a lecture with slides on the way the thought of Aquinas has been
unsuccessful in answering new questions, and in meeting the problems depicted in the so called 'Spanish chapel' of the Santa Maria Novella in
of their times? And, finally, what can we learn from these divergent Florence, and an organ recital with a lecture presenting the way texts of
forms of 'Thomism'? Aquinas have been transformed into music by the twentieth-century
The awareness of both the perspectives that are opened up by the
French composer, Olivier Messiaen.
many different ways of thinking ad mentem Thomae and the problems
that they reveal, has been an incentive for the Thomas Instituut at The contributions in this volume can be divided into three parts. The
Utrecht to concentrate part of its research on this theme. Since 1998,
first series of six articles is dedicated to the way Aquinas' thought was
three scholars from the Institute have, respectively, been studying: the considered as authoritative before the twentieth century. The reception
way in which Gabriel Bie! uses Aquinas in the interaction between via
of Aquinas' work is studied, using a mainly historical approach, by
moderna and devotio moderna (P. van Geest), the reception of Aquinas'
clarifying how his concepts and ideas were adapled and used in the
doctrine of God in the fifteenth century (H. Goris), and Aquinas' treatise
structure of texts, and in philosophical or theological reflections.
on the passions of the soul as a possible basis for reflection in moral
The second series consists of nine articles that shed some light on tbe
theology (C. Leget). way Aquinas has influenced twentieth-century theology and philosophy.
On the occasion of organizing the second five-yearly conference of Some of these contributions are historiographical in nature; others foclls
on the thought of a particular traditi n, thinker, theological discipline or
the Institute, it therefore seemed a logical step to take as a theme the
reception of Thomas, which has animated the research of the Institute subject. Both perspectives the syslcmatic and the historical, provide us
with a broad view on the differenccs within the great variety of ways in
for some years now. It was therefore decided to organize a conference
under the title: 'Aquinas as Authority? Seven centuries of problems and which the works of Aquinas are approached.
The volume closes with two contributions that are dedicated to the
perspectives'. Since the Institute's website has proved to be a successful
medium for getting into contact with Aquinas scholars in other coun reception of Aquinas in art. The testimonies in painting and music remind
us of the fact that the history of thought is always embedded in the
tries, it was possible to make the conference international.
The contributions in this volume are the fruit of this conference, history of a culture that is much richer and broader than the academic
which was held from Thursday December 14 to Saturday December 16, world.
r
x
PAUL VAN GEEST, HARM GORIS, CARLO LEGET INTRODUCTION Xl
The first series of contributions opens with HARM GORIS. He gives Expositio. It becomes clear that Thomas' ideas form significant elements
an insight into how, in the fifteenth century, Thomism revived at the in the thoughts and arguments which Biel develops on two central issues
University of Cologne, and spread from there to other universities. of the spirituality of Modern Devotion: the correctio Jraterna, and the
'Cologne' Thomism was, firstly, shaped by debates between Thomists, interiorization of prayer. As far as the latter issue is concerned, Biel
nominalists and Albertists in Cologne, in which the status of the univer appears to attribule an anli-affective approach to Thomas: his work is
sals was, philosophically speaking, the key issue. Other disputed topics consistently supplemented by sources which sire s dimensiolls such as
followed from it in the debate between Thomists and Albertists. Sec affectivity and intuition a importallt for prayer. In Bie\', more spiritual
ondly, the innovation of didactic methods by the via anfiqua, and the theological work, 1'homa. appears as a welcome and even essential
organization of education in bursae, led to the formation of distinct authorilY but even when Biel claims TI1 mas as aUllloritY.lhe work and
philosophical schools. The Thomists in Cologne focused on the teaching spirituality of Augustine is detectable.
of young students in the Faculty of Arts, and this determined to a large KARL-HEINZ ZUR MOHLEN concentrates on the question as to how the
extent the kind of texts they produced. Having determi.ned the two main works of Thomas influenced the development of Luther. Althollgh
factors of the Thomist revival, Goris gives an overview of the most Luther had considerable knowledge of Thomas' work, Aquinas was not
important Cologne Thomists and their writings, especially their com a source of inspiration for Luther, as were Tauler, the Theologia deutsch,
mentaries on the Summa Theologiae. He argues that these were not the humanists and the Ockhamists. Until 1517, Luther's criticism of
written as a result of ordinary lectures at the University, but originated Scholastic Aristotelianism is only indirectly and incidentally concerned
from lectures within the Dominican houses of study. with Thomas. It is only when Tetzel, Eck, Prierias and Cajetan claim
HENK SCHOOT offers an impression of the historical merits and the lin Thomas as authority in the quarrel over indulgences that Luther begins
guistic and apophatic character of Aquinas' christology. After presenting his explicit confrontation with, and criticism of, Thomas. Determined by
some biographical data on Henry of Gorkum (tI431) - a theologian the course of the battle, Luther challenges Thomas' authority, and criti
and artist who was the first commentator on Aquinas and made a con cizes the different opinions of the schools, the way in which Aristotle is
siderable career in Cologne - he focuses on his tract De divinis received in scholastic theology, as well as the way in which Thomas
nominibus in order to study Henry's interpretation of Aquinas' christol deals with issues such as the praesentia realis. After the years of criti
ogy in the context of his theology of naming God. Aquinas' christology cism (1517-1520), Luther speak, Ie s about Thom8s, In addition to deal
is proved by Henry to be linguistic, to be centred around names and ing with Luther' asso iation wi.th Thoma. during Ih se years, zur Muhlen
naming, to be intrinsically connected with the general doctrine of God, concludes by examining the agreements and differences between Luther
and to be apophatic in character. This study shows that Henry's com and Thoma with re pect to the jllstitia aliena Christi, the cerfitudo
mentaries do not improve on Aquinas, but form a precious key to the salutis, and the idea that mankind is simul iustus et peccator.
larger corpus of Aquinas' christology and theology. Moreover, studying MISHTOONI BOSE considers the extent to which Thomas may be
his commentaries on Aquinas' works, one will discover striking similar regarded as aUlhority in Ule vernacular works of the fifteenth-century
ities to contemporary interpretations which stress the relative efficiency English bishop, Reginald Pecock (1393?-1461 ?). Attempting to assist
of the knowledge of faith according to Aquinas. the doctrinal rormation of the English laity in connection with the ver
PAUL VAN GEEST begins his contribution with a short summary of nacular experimentation of the Wycliffites, Pecock refers explicitly, a
investigations that have been carried out so far into the effect of number of times, to 'Thomas of Alquyn'. However, he paid little atten
Thomas' thought on the work of the nominalist and Modem Devout, tion to such points as the practical significance of grace, which were
Gabriel Biel (141O?-1495). Research into Biel's debt to Thomas has emphasized by Thomas. Furthermore, the essentially pragmatic charac
always been marginal, like the research in general into the interaction ter of much of Pecock's thought, and his simplifications, separate him
between the (Thomist) via antiqua and the (Ockhamist) via moderna. even further from Aquinas. Bose argues, however, that Pecock's 'nostal
Subsequently, he investigates Biel's extensive theological and spiritual gia' for a different kind of theology led him to explore the pragmatic
commentary on the Lord's Prayer, contained in his Canonis Missae dimensions and functions of Scholastic discourse. It seems, here, that
Xli
PAUL VAN GEEST, HARM GORIS, CARLO LEGET INTRODUCTION XIII
Pecock's affinity with Aquinas may be seen in their shared methodolog the soul, in the discussion on transubstantiation, the existence of God,
ical self-consciousness. In developing his rhetorical sensitivity, and in and in the field of moral theology. For at least the last two decades,
making his work so explicitly concerned with the question of literary Thomas' work is also included in exegetical-linguistic studies and in
method, Pecock recovered, in this respect, the vitality of'the Scholastic ecumenical discussions. Studies carried out on Thomas' negative theol
tradition. In this extended sense, the 'rhetorically-aware' Aquinas may, ogy, on his apophatic, metaphorical-analogical, and, therefore, very
indeed, be viewed as Pecock's authority, inspiring him more profoundly circumspect way of speaking about God, provide Pesch with an expla
than his infrequent references to Aquinas' work might suggest. nation of the practical function of Thomas' contribution to these discus
The contribution of JOHN INGLIS gives a clear example of the interwo sions. This survey of present-day Thomist research may encourage
venness of political and philosophical concerns in the work of Albert optimism about the role of Thomas in theological discussions, but any·
StOckl (1823-1895), one of the major German contributors to the revival optimism should be laced with a certain amount of scepticism.
of Thomism during the 1800s. Inglis argues that Stockl's analysis offfee The overview provided by Pesch mainly focuses on the research of
will in Aquinas is more determined by Stockl's aspiration to give an continental scholars. FERGUS KERR on the other hand, in his historical
alternative to the views on freedom upheld by the Enlightenment and the survey of present-day interpretations of Thomas' work, focuses on the
French Revolution, than by his attempt to render Aquinas' thought faith English-speaking universities. Beginning with a sketch of the position
fully within its historical and textual context. The author raises the and picture of Aquinas in the Oxford BA (the Thomas of the theistic
important question to what degree the writing of the history of medieval proofs and natural law ethics), the author investigates and criticizes this
thought depends on - both in the sense of its being distorted, and its picture, which gains a great deal of its authority from the work of Rahner
being made possible by - the historian's own context. and Balthasar. Subsequently, he gives a survey of widely differing
Aquinas interpretations, including: an 'interfaith' perspective (Burrell),
The transition to the second part of the volume is made by two histo Wittgensteinian Thomism (Anscombe, Geach, Kenny), Analytical
riographical overviews of Aquinas research in the nineteenth and twen Thomism (Haldane), natural theology (Kretzmann), and the revival of
tieth centuries. virtue ethics (Anscombe, MacIntyre). The overview is concluded by two
OTTo-HERMANN PESCH considers how the growing awareness of the more recent theological studies that both have their roots in the work of
historicity of dogma brought about a change in opinions on Thomas. His George Lindbeck at Yale: Eugene F. Rogers' comparison of Aquinas and
normative position as 'true, authentic teacher' of the Church, a conse Barth, and Anna N. Williams' interpretation of the Summa Theologiae as
quence of the historical event of the Reformation, had become more a work primarily focused on the process of sanctification.
definitive over the centuries. Whereas both his work and his method of The historiographical contributions can be considered as providing a
scholarship were prescribed as mandatory by the Church in the nine context for the papers in which Aquinas' influence on contemporary
teenth century, the reflection on Thomas as philosopher and theologian philosophers and theologians is studied. The first of these - still histo
after the First World War, the awareness of the historicity of his work, riographical in nature - is written by BRIAN JOHNSTONE. Johnstone
and the interest of Protestant theologians in his work, allowed changes to summarizes the discussion of the plan of Aquinas' Summa Theologiae,
grow in views of Thomas. More recent research has examined Thomas' begun by M.-D. Chenu in 1939, and offers an analysis of the various
theological method, his approach to the Bible, his religious beliefs, his ways in which contributors to sixty years of ongoing discussion have
anthropology and moral theology and, in the context of the latter, his interpreted the relationship, in the Summa, between 'scientific' under
doctrine of sin, his Trinitarian doctrine, and his opinions on ecclesiol standing and the realities of salvation history. In relation to the treatment
ogy. Furthermore, Pesch shows how, and to what extent, Thomas' voice of salvation history in the Summa, the author follows Ghislain Lafont's
can be heard as distinct but not omnipresent in present-day dogmatic 1961 study, arguing that the acta et passa Christi, and in particular the
works and fundamental theology, although Thomas appears, once more, resurrection, have an importance in Thomas' scheme that has not been
to be treated as a 'Traditional Court of Appeal' in questions about the adequately recognized. As a conclusion, a suggestion is presented as to
relationship between the resurrection of the dead and the immortality of how the two, i.e. understanding and salvation history, are brought
--
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XIV PAUL VAN GEEST. HARM GORIS. CARLO LEGET INTRoDucnoN XV
togcther in the S/~ntlllII. In particular, there are a number of texts ill the Aquinas' treatment of natural law to be an intolerable attempt to justify
Terria Pars wl,.icl1 refer the resurrection back to the fundamcntal struc 'the Christian position before the forum of general human thought',
tures of tile moral. life as portrayed in the Secunda Pnrs and [() one Bowlin tries to provide an explanation of the favourable reception that
crucial texL of the Primo Par,)'. Thcreforc, at least La tlus limited extcnt A uinas' remarks on natural law have received among a number of con
t~'le l'C!;urrectioll has u stru lural role in this work. Tbrough-Lhe resLlr:rec~ te~porary Protestant moralists. It appears that T~omistic and Bar.thian
1.I0ll God reveaL~ who he i . mpathies converge in the work of certain Cathohc contemporary IIlter
. DAVID LIBERTO looks at how Thomas' thoughts have been integrated ~eters of Aquinas' moral theology. Russell Hittinger .insists. t~at
mto W. Non'is Clarke's thinking about man. Aquinas provides the basis Aquinas' account of natural law is best regarded as an ethiC of dlvllle
for Clarke's statement that not all relations are generated by action, but command. John Finnis, Germain Grisez, and Joseph Boyle argue that
rather that action and passion necessarily generate relations. Liberto Aquinas' brief discussion of natural law does not ad~ uP,to. a naturall~w
examines the integration of Thomas' thoughts into those of Clarke in theory at all, precisely because it does not, by Aquillas lights, provide
the light of criticisms of Clarke's work by Steven A. Long and George the concrete moral guidance we expect a theory of natural law to pro
~ ..B lair; criticisms which would have been more valid if they had suf vide. These exegetical innovations solve the puzzle. Protestants have
flclently appreciated Thomas' influence as the source for Clarke's ideas. become Thomists largely because Catholics have read Thomas as
Clarke finds Thomas' anthropology important in his reflections on the Protestants would, or, at the very least, they have read Thomas as Protes
capacily [0 receive as being essential to the perfecting of mankind. tants are expected to do.
Tboma. Weinandy is brought into the discussion to show that Clarke's FRANS VOSMAN studies John Finnis' claim that Aquinas is a founder
phil sophicaJ thought on receptivity should be seen in relation to ideas of modern political, ethical and social thought. He sketches the.theo:eti
on ~e subject ("hat are already in circulation in theology. For instance, cal model that Finnis proposes in order to make use of Aqumas m a
We1l1andy bad alre.1dy claimed that the Holy Spirit becomes a person modern ethical debate, and examines the limitations of this model.
precisely in His receptivity. Drawing on 'principles Aquinas has subscribed to', it is possible to
HERW~ RIKHOF addresses the question of whether Aquinas makes a claim an ontological (first order) foundation of human rights. Though he
sy~t~matIc-theological contribution to the contemporary debate on the never uses a term translatable as 'human rights', Aquinas clearly has the
T:U1Jt~. He conclu.des thlll Aquinas does, but in H twofold negative way. concept. Finnis offers refined knowledge of Aquinas, and, indeed, polit
HlstoJ'J.c'~l!y ~peaklllg, he is blamed for the isolation or the Uleology of ical-ethical wisdom; he encourages us to raise critical questions about
tbe T~mlty ~om the resl f theology and spiritllfllily; YSlcmatic,dly the political and ethical nature of key concepts in present-day politi~s.
peaking. he IS not considered a sedous discussion partner ill [he ·u.rrelll But Vosman also shows that, as a philosopher, Finnis does not deal With
d.ebate. The u~thor i pU7..zl.ed by thi situation. because of his own expe Aquinas' theology. This leads him to neglect the importance of some
nen~e of Aquu~as as:l tiltlulatiog and helpful discllssion partner in lhc theological ideas that playa role in Aquinas' political ethics. Precisely
ologlcal reflecliolls n the thology of the Trinity. In ol-der to understand because of the theological nature of Aquinas' interpretation of gover-'
the twofold negative way in which Aquinas figure in the contempoJary nance by God, of conversatio and of friendship with God, Vosman p.ro
tileology of the Trinity, Rikhof examines the argument· used [or I'his poses to read Aquinas as a contrast to modern politic~l.-ethical. theones.
negative. evalu.ation by three theologians: K. Rahner, C. LaCugna and Tbe similarities to, and differences from, modern polttlcal-ethlcal theo
~. Corbm. Thls, however, does not remove his puzzlement: it increases ries direct the attention to a contrast, to the strangeness of Aquinas'
It. .For on one level, these three theologians present an interpretation that thought compared with late modern theories. By accepting the strange
nelther fits the texts, nor takes into account results of modern scholar ness of Aquinas' thought, it gains great critical power.
ship. On a~other le~el there appears to be a preconception, an agenda In his contribution, CARLO LEGET explores the ambiguity, problems,
that dClermmes rhe JIltclpretation. and possibilities that are related to the use of STh II-II, q. 64 a. 5 co. In
. JOHN Bowu~ shows that in recent years, Protestant moral theologians this famous fragment, Thomas framed a threefold argumentation on why
In North America read Thomas well. Although Karl Barth considered it is not permitted to kill oneself. This argumentation became successful
•
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XVI
PAUL VAN GEEST, HARM GORIS, CARLO LEGET
INTRODUCTION XVII
in the history of thought. According tv some, iL<; plausibility is stlU
unchallenged. According to OIhers. however, Aquinas' arglll.llenl.lltioll I rrescoes, on th Easlern wall LlsulllJy describ. ed a.' IJ10 'Tr.iump' h of
h~~ been refuted for cen~uries, fn order to sketch lhe limi!s of the pluusi th 1ee hurCIl M'II I'l,a nr' ' and on the Western wall (Ill WhIC"h Thom. as IS .th. e
blluy of. the argumelll;UJon Leger studies its reception by John Dorm 1 lagon 1,S.t) P,IC S' eot Atl.u inas a: lhe rcnl dm:I{)/, ('(Jml"1 ll1l1l~, who IS master
and DavId HUlile, and Ii, ts the problems uUll on cncounterx when using 1'1'.0 II fields of medioval. thinking, In accord~llce WIlh Mar~arethe J?leck,
the. !lrgllm~nt tOday. Subsequently, he reflects on the various ways in 0d 1 UK lerek' con· tell(!.s thaI lhe visual fonmllatlon of all Lhe. Irc.s c es. III the
e b traced to Thomas' Compendium TheoLogtae, m which the
\:Inch AqUlllUS LS used ,ls Huthorit)', and makes a case for an interpre[a hapel can e d '
c extensively into the four parts of the Creed. The ecoral!ve
(10/1 of the argument lhat counters the ()bjeclions that were listed so far. author goes 'd d
Thi.s intcrp,retlllion is developed againSt tIn: background of Aquinas' programme a f the Spanish Chapel can, perhaps, be conSl e.r e as a
tbeory of Vlrllles. and fOCuses on having access to the good. metap h or 1"or the C're,ed s een through the eyes of Thomas A, quhm as,
VAN MAAS' paper brings us back to the twentlet century,
. EMMANUEL TOLJRPIl, finally, directs our attention to the future, address SANDER . I' .
Illg the more methodical question of how Aquinas can become an an d to m USl'C ' His contribution begins by sketchmg the genera pOSf itIOh n
' 'n the theology of Aquinas against the background ate
aULbor:ity on the levcl of cre,Hive thought. He makes a plea for a meta of musIC I , 'h' h
Thom,1 'm UHit o~ercOmcs the problems the IW.o dominant Iypes of inter medieval tradition of Augustine, Boethius and CasslOdorus, m w lC
pretatIon of:' Aqurnas have Caused through the celllurie . In tilc.fir.t type Thomas' view on music is rooted. Next, he shows how th~ :re,nch
com oser Olivier Messiaen (l908-1992), in his organ cycle MeditatIOns
scholars 'Illempt to find Lhe hi'toricaJ Thomas by fOcusing 011 Ute letter L~ ~y ~he
Of.Lhe .lex.t. una~are, however. of the fact rhat every historical intclpre sur Mystere de La Sainte Trinite, is inspired pas.sages of Summa
tallon IS determJlled by t'he problems or methods of the receptor. Til Theoiogiae, and describes the technical way .m WhlC~ MeSSIaen ~ra~s­
olher approach, whicl~ i~ SuareZtM, in chat'aeter, I'ends Lo restrict every lated Aquinas' words into music. As a conc~uslOn, he give,s a s,hort mtro
tex.t to a 'yst.~m con lstmg of a-historical concepts, The problem with duction to the questions and problems ratsed ~~ ,~esslaen ~ unus~al
th.IS approach IS lha! il' runs the ri k of losing contact with ,he dynamism statements with regard to the religious P?sstbilltles, of hiS mUSIC,
~f" ule lext. The ~roblel~lS adhering to both types ot AqlliJlaS interpreta Inspired by Hans Urs von Balthasar's theologIcal analY,sls. of beauty, and
Jean-Luc Marion's phenomenology, Messiaen's musiC IS reflected on
aon acculllulate III El lhu:d appro'lch: (neo-) cholasticism, which limit,'
itself to selecting and paraphrasing fragments of Aquinas' work. without as a 'breakthrough towards the beyond, towards the invisible and the
deaHng with rhe 'spirit' of Aquinas' thought. /1] ord r [0 overcom the ineffable' ,
pl'Oblen~s, TOl/rpc -pr~Jloses II 'g nerative henllel1eutlcs . "[11coretically
~roceedll1g fro,m Aqulll,as' cpi:temology. and metaphysically inferpret Reviewing the results of the conference gathered in. this volume, it
rug along t~e lm~s of Slew~rlh, Blondel. and von Baader this approach must be admitted that, despite the wide variety of contnbutors and par
ticipants, two major characteristics prevented the conference from ful
holds the vJe,wpolllt fhat an Idea, expressed in a text, is only fully under
stood When It has been 'born' in the reader to such an extent thaL Ute filling the promise of the subtitle. In the first place, one must conclude
:cader has access to .Ute i~ea ~PlUl from ule text. Reading and interpret that the fifteenth and twentieth centuries are far better represented t~an
mg th~ work of Aqu1l1as 10 tlus way onc could say thal every authentic any other of the remaining five centuries. In the second place, the view
!honllsl11 must be a meta-Thomi.sm: ,lhe new birtb of hi thought in his on the reception of Aquinas is biased by the fact that the e~ormous
mterpreters. amount of literature in Italian and Spanish on Aquinas has remamed out
The .third. and last part of Llris collection is dedicated to the reception of consideration, . , ,
of AqulllaS III art, more precisely: jn painting and music, Whereas the first characteristic only underscores the almost mflmte
BRAM DE KLER,C~ des.cribes the frescoes decoratiIlg the Spanish vastness of the theme, the second makes us uncomfortably aware of the
CllA~el fact that, even in such a specialized discipline as Aquinas study, global
III the DOITliIllCan monastery of Santa Maria' Novella in Florence,
~,avltlg been. pai~lted Soon after Thomas' canonization, they betray an ization is still withheld by the simple boundaries of language,
Interest bOlh III IllS person, f1Jld ill hls writings and way of thinking, Both Despite these - and doubtless many more - li~itations, we, as the
preparatory committee and redaction of the proceedmgs, gratefully look
z
XVI[(
PAUL VAN GEEST. HARM GORIS. CARLO LEGET
back On (Ill inspiring conferenc S d . .
the world' . f ' dl . . .' l~ ymg wltb scb lars [rom all over
If there is ~rlll~;1 ;~n. ~ .an~ tunllla~ulg n.rmo phcre was a grelll vent.
Josop!Jy and Iheolo~~o[~~e~"l ~lr~:1 AqulI1a. witb regard to doing phi
that sOm of iI w' . .' '. cannOI e cape froUl the impression THOMISM IN FIFTEENTH-CENTURY GERMANY
" as cel1all11y !llere 111 Leusden. We would like 1 . ,
ollr grallllld tberefore to 'til ' " . . ( explcss
explicitly Ol\I~ llle nal1l~S 0;' th~:;truc;Pal~ts ~f ~1 conferenc~ •. mentioning Harm Goris
in Lellse/en: ristina P , e w 1~ aSSI Ie II 111 orgal1lslI1g the daYli
red~n~f!~~ ~~d :i~n
us with our work as .reUema;, and those who helped
like Lo thank B L " en c IOOl and Stefan Grad!. WI;; would In surveys of the histOIY of Thomism, the fifteenth century is usually a
corrector. <W ehor)yony e'e -Goddurd fOI' _b eI'n. g a re "1 3 bl e and crilic,1I blank, with the exception of John Capreolus, who is dutifully mentioned
Aquinas ' d Ie rl.tal thIS vO~ll.me may flild Its way both lo stlldenls of as the princeps thomistarum. While much attention is given both to the
. all lo those who critically question the use of A . period of early Thomism - roughly from the condemnations of 1277 till
[llithonty. qUlllas as
the 1430s - and to the renaissance of Thomism, that began in the six
teenth century with Cajetan and the Spanish scholastics, the history of late
medieval Thomism remains largely still to be written. Though limited in
scope when compared to the sixteenth century, there was a distinctive
revival of Thomism in the fifteenU! century with two geographical focal
points: the University of Cologne and, some decades later, the Dominican
houses of study in Italy.l In this paper I want to outline the development
of Thomism in fifteenth-century Germany, focusing on Cologne, where
Thomism became the dominant 'way' (via) at a fairly early stage, and
from where it spread to other German universities and beyond. The recent
monumental works of Erich Meuthen and GOtz-Riidiger Tewes on the
history of the University of Cologne have opened up a wealth of informa
tion for the study of the via Thomae in late medieval Germany.2 But in
spite of these valuable contributions, the study of fifteenth-century
German Thomists remains a difficult task as many texts are lost, or only
known by their titles, while most of the texts that did survive have not
been studied yet and are not readily accessible. The details of the conclu
sions in this article remain therefore tentative, but I hope that the general
outline of the development of Cologne Thomism will become clear.
1 Cf. Serge-Thomas Bonino, 'L'ecole lhomi tc 8U XV' sieclt:', Rivisla teologica di
Lugallo 5 (2000), 223-234, pp. 225-26. Bonino notes thl1l Aqujnn. was read extensively
at the University of Paris but that there '\a tradilion Ihomisle se dilue dans un eclecticisme
general ise.'
2 G6lz-Riidiger Tewes, Die Bursell der KaIner Artisten-Fakultiit bis WI' MiUe des 16,
lahrhundert,· (Cologne etc.: B6hlau Verlag, 1993); and KaIner Universitiitsgeschichle,
ed. by die Senatskommission filr die Geschichte der Universitat zu K61n (Cologne etc: .
B6hlau Verlag, 1988), vol. I: Erich Meuthen, Die aIle Universiliil. The works of
Meuthen and Tewes exemplify Ihe shift that has occurred in the study of medieval
universities during Ihe last twenty-five years, away from constitutional organization and
doctrinal developments lowards social history .
...
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2
HARM GORIS
THOMISM IN FlrTEENTH-CENTURY GERMANY 3
1. Introduction
, ribed at the D Olll"ln ICan houses of study as the offi.c ial t, h,e ology
Shonly after Thoma, Aquinas' death in 1274, a [ierce cOlllmvcrsy ostfI ltlh per eOsrcd er, but I'td 'Id no t playa significant role at the UnIVersIties,
broke OUI Over the onhodoxy and Ule con'eOI inlerprctation of his wril'
iJ]gs, III 1277 !l great number of prop' sirions, SOme of which were taken ;~noelwogende interest in the teachings of Aquinas
In the early ,1400,:, a In contrast with the period of early
to be Thomistic, were offiCially condemned in Paris and Oxford, Two ~n~versl te~
arose at the y dO'd t from the Dominican Order, which
year latCI' the Franciscan Will.iam de la M,u'e published his orrectoril.lll'I ' thiS 1I1terest I no s t b f
Thomlsm, ! h ' 'the fourteenth century, ut rom
FI'(J(ris Thoma .in which he openly t:riticized .1 number of Aquinas' had been the advocate of ,omIsm started to playa more important
positions, AlLhough the Domillican Richard Kilwal'dby had been 11]e I asters The DOm1l1lCanS on y h Id '
instigalor of Ih cOlldemlUllion of 1277 in Oxford, the Dominican Dreier secu ar m, he so-called Observants got a foot 0 m
role from the late 1460s when t , 't t wns (and also in the Italian
soon started to defend the teachings of Aquinas, DOll1inic[lns wrote reac Cologne and other German UI1lVerSI y 0
tions against the Correctorium, wld the Order issued official decrees to f d f the Dominican order),
houses 0 stu yoU' 't f Cologne was characterized by
promote Aquilla, ' teachings among the Dominicans, Yet, even within nIVe~~1 Yls~
The early setting of the determine the particular shape
the Order, there remained differing opinions, Durandu!l of St. Pour~ain two interrelated f~ctors that wouL 'k: earl Thomism, fifteenth-century
(1270-1334), in particulill', hdd views Ulat were Contrary to tllOse of ~omg ther~be~ded Y
Aquinas. Thomism was take in polemics, but with different
~h'~~~::IO;:~ ~:t~i~
Cologne t the context of the Wegestreit, the contro
The cunoniZll1'ion of Saint Thomas in'I323 and the subsequent public
opponen s. I 'derna and the via antiqua, and also between
decl-aration of his orthodoxy in 1325 meant victory fol' [he Thomists, that versies between the VlQ mo h' d Albertism The second
is the Dominicans, over Iherr opponents, FUl'thernlore, ill'ound 1330, rhe ' f h latter T omlsm an .
debate on Ule views of Durandus of SL Pour~ain Was flO,ally settled in dtwecoi srievper efsaecntotar tIwvaess t0h e te me ph aSl"S on the teachinigc aolf i (nynoouvnagti)o nstsu, dents in
favollr of Thomas Aquinas, But these two victories contri.buted at rhe the Faculty of Arts a~d the sUbseque~,p~d;ft~g nominalism in the first
same time 1.0 the decline of Thomi'st studies. For bOll1 the DlIrwldus I shall elaborate fust on the con IC 'd als with the so-
displile lind III so-called Correctoria.-controversy had been strong decades of the fl' ft eenth cen tu ry , The next sectlon '1e Ie both in the
incentive. to stUdy Aquinas' text. ,J'csldting ill a vastlj[cmture of polem 11 that were to playa crucla ro
called bursae, the co eges 'h t blishment of philosophical
ical writings, concordances and so-catled' melius dixit lists, indexes, " f ducation and m tees a
abbreviation lecturae Ihomasinoe, i:lJld comparisons between Aquinas' organIZatITOhn' d0l eI shall discuss the controvers y between Albertists and
po itions and tl10se of others, Apart from the lack of sl1(;h polemical Tschhoomoliss,t s, FIifn ayll, y, I shall gI, ve an overV'Iewf 0 the most outstanding
incelitives, l,ller founeenth-century developments, Ihe rise of nominal Cologne Thomists and their work,
iSm and a certain weakening of Lhe Dominican. Order in particular, also
added to the decline of TIlonli '( studies. The Order suffered greatly as a
result of a general decline in ob 'erva.nce and in academic interest, of an 2. Via antl.q ua an dV'ia m oderna'. status of the universals and teaching
internal divisioil because of the Western Schism und of its controversial methods
po ilion ill 1J1e debate over the rmmacI,r'lale Conception,- Thomislll Was
, , f C 1 laimed to be mod-
The statutes of 1398 of th~ ?nIver~lty 0 0 ogne ~e directly derived
] For a sllCcj,ncl ~)Vcrvju\V of e;,rly Th,)mi m and rurthcI refercn<;e.S: Jean-Pierre Torrell, d 't Panslensem but were mo
'Le Silvoir !Iu!ologiqlle "hel': IllS premiers IhomisIes', Re""e lllOlIIisle 97 (1997).9-30, For ferlolemd t'hsee cUunnI,V uemrS .Itny u0 mf V'I enna, (1389)' ' A significant difference with the
the so-c"lIcd I ctllr"l! lhol1lt/,';IIlIl!, commenlnries on I/le Stll/lenct:," of Peter Lombard
ba~crl all Aquinas; sec: M, Mich~le MulchnhllY, "FIi'~'{ lite bow is 11('1/1 in ,uur/y '" .. ."
D19o9m8)i,,, '-p':p,,," 1e61t1i~"re. ,,/iOIl be/til'/! 1,150 (Toronto: POlllifi",,), Instilul'c or Medicval Siudics.
-------, , he absence of an external authority to decide on
doctrinal unity of Aqumas , works and ~ d Albertismus, Das Entstehen und die
, Maarten Hoenen has pointed out some other factors that led to the decline of the
that unity, See his 'ThOllllsmus, Skolllsmu~ un "t n M'lttelalter' Bochllmer Philoso-
early Thornist school: the particular educational system of the Dominicans, the lack of Bedeutung von plu'Io soph ,I'S C he ~ MSc' htui lelne r1m 2 (s1p9a9 7e ), 81-[03, pp, ,9 1-92,
phisches lahrbuchfur Anllke un II e a "
....
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