St. Thomas Aquinas on Faith and Reason (Aquinas 101)

Summary

In this video, the relationship between faith and reason is explored, with reference to St. Thomas Aquinas' 13th-century philosophy. It highlights three common misconceptions: skepticism, fideism, and subjective faith. Aquinas argues that faith and reason are never truly in conflict because both come from God, the ultimate source of truth. He emphasizes that while the mysteries of faith may not be fully comprehensible by human reason, they are still reasonable to believe. Aquinas further explains that the Christian faith is supported by credible signs, such as miracles and the enduring church, reinforcing its rationality.

Takeaways

• 😀 Faith is not inherently irrational or contrary to reason, contrary to skepticism.
• 😀 Skepticism argues that faith is irrational because it cannot be scientifically proven, but this is a mistake.
• 😀 Fideism is the opposite of skepticism, accepting that faith and reason are opposed but claiming we should ignore reason in favor of faith.
• 😀 The third mistake is viewing faith as purely subjective, meaning it's only true for the individual and not based on objective reality.
• 😀 St. Thomas Aquinas argues that faith and reason can never truly be in conflict because they both stem from God, the source of all truth.
• 😀 Truth is unified and cannot contradict itself, whether it's arrived at through reason or faith.
• 😀 If a conflict between faith and reason seems to exist, it’s likely due to faulty reasoning or misunderstanding of faith.
• 😀 Aquinas stresses that the Christian faith is eminently reasonable, as it is supported by credible signs like miracles and the enduring reality of the Church.
• 😀 Even though faith’s mysteries, like the divinity of Christ or the Holy Trinity, cannot be fully understood by human reason, they are still rational to believe in.
• 😀 The truth of Christian faith is ultimately known through the supernatural light of faith, which transcends natural reasoning.
• 😀 Signs of credibility, like miracles and the consistency of the Church’s teachings, provide rational warrant for accepting Christian faith.

Q & A

What is the main question being addressed in the video?

The video addresses the relationship between faith and reason, specifically questioning whether faith is unreasonable or in tension with reason.

What are the three fundamental mistakes about the relation between faith and reason?

The three mistakes are: 1) Skepticism, which views faith as irrational or contrary to reason. 2) Fideism, which accepts that faith is opposed to reason and emphasizes faith alone. 3) The view that faith is purely subjective and personal, not related to objective truth.

How does St. Thomas Aquinas view the relationship between faith and reason?

Aquinas argues that faith and reason are never truly in conflict because they both ultimately come from God and reflect the same underlying truth. Truth cannot contradict truth.

What is the role of God in Aquinas' argument about faith and reason?

According to Aquinas, God is the source of both reason and faith. Since both come from God and truth is unified, faith and reason will never truly contradict each other.

What does Aquinas say about the unity of truth?

Aquinas claims that truth is unified and based on the order of reality. This means that there cannot be a truth according to faith that contradicts reason, or vice versa.

What is the role of signs of credibility in Christian faith?

Aquinas suggests that God provides 'signs of credibility,' such as the miracles of Christ and the enduring reality of the Church, which offer rational grounds for believing the claims of Christian faith.

Can the truths of faith be proven by natural reason according to Aquinas?

No, Aquinas asserts that the specific mysteries of faith, such as the divinity of Christ or the Holy Trinity, cannot be proven by natural reason. They can only be embraced through the supernatural light of faith.

Why does Aquinas believe faith is reasonable, even though its mysteries cannot be fully understood?

Aquinas believes faith is reasonable because it is supported by credible signs, such as miracles and the continuity of the Church, even though the mysteries of faith remain hidden from full human understanding.

What does Aquinas mean when he says truth is not subjective or private?

Aquinas emphasizes that truth is objective and based on reality, not a personal or subjective experience. This contrasts with the view that faith is purely personal and not tied to an objective reality.

How does Aquinas address apparent contradictions between faith and reason?

Aquinas argues that if there seems to be a contradiction between faith and reason, it is either due to faulty reasoning or a misunderstanding of the truths of faith, not an actual conflict between the two.