The 1277 Parisian Condemnation: A Catalyst for Nominalism

Edward Grant notes the significance of the 1277 condemnation of certain Thomistic (among other) principles:
The Condemnation of 219 articles in theology and natural philosophy by the bishop of Paris in 1277 points to a signifiant development in the history of medieval philosophy generally, but especially natural philosophy. Whatever may have induced bishop Stephen Tempier and [...]

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The Authority of the Philosophers

Roger Olson says that Thomas used Aristotle as an authority in sacra doctrina. Though this is true there is a caveat that needs to be given for those with a natural distaste for philosophy and everything pagan. Philosophers can be called authoritative only when used contra gentiles. Thomas confirms:
Insofar as sacred doctrine uses philosophical teachings in its [...]

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Grace/Nature: A Problem for Supralapsarians

Reinhold Niebuhr accused Thomas Aquinas of radically separating nature and grace so that the former is not changed but only receives something extra in the latter – like icing on a cake. Stephen Grabill notes that this interpretation was common among men of the last generation, exemplified by Barth, Berkouwer, Dooyeweerd, and Van Til.  He [...]

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Grace Is Not “Stuff”

We all have heard that the Medieval view of grace was uber-realist – that infused grace is a substance that comes into the person. Peter Lombard held the opinion that this substance of grace was the Holy Spirit itself. Thomas Aquinas, while not preferring Lombard’s view, sought to demonstrate the gross errors of the former [...]

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The Platonism of the Early Church Fathers

I may add that from among the fathers of our religion who accepted the theory of Ideas, as did Augustine, none introduced them so that the craftsmen might turn to them and learn how to perform their tasks, but rather as the Ideas toward which God himself looked when he formed the natures of different [...]

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“The distinction between natural and supernatural, in fact, broke down.”

We tend to think about non-human intelligences in two distinct categories which we label “scientific” and “supernatural” respectively.  We think, in one mood, of Mr. Well’s Martians (very unlike the real Malacandrians, by the bye), or his Selenites.  In quite a different mood we let our minds loose on the possibility of angels, ghosts, fairies, [...]

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The Areopagus Address: John Calvin on Paul’s Modus Demonstrationum

Paul’s drift is to teach what God is. Furthermore, because he hath to deal with profane men, he draweth proofs from nature itself; for in vain should he have cited testimonies of Scripture. I said that this was the holy man’s purpose, to bring the men of Athens unto the true God. For they were persuaded [...]

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