Thomas Aquinas on the nature of faith

[Carbon]

Accordingly, if we consider, in faith, the formal aspect of the object, it is nothing else than the first truth. For the faith of which we are speaking does not assent to anything, except because it is revealed by God. Hence, the means on which faith is based is the Divine Truth. If, however, we consider materially the things to which faith assents, they include not only God, but also many other things . . . Things concerning Christ's human nature, and the sacraments of the Church, or any creatures whatever, come under faith, in so fr as by them you are directed to God, and in as much as we assent to them on account of the Divine Truth.


Faith implies assent of the intellect to that which is believed.


Now, since the chief object of faith consists in those things which we hope to see, according to Hebrews 11:1: faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, it follows that those things are in themselves of faith, which order us directly to eternal life. Such are the Trinity of Persons in Almighty God, the mystery of Christ's Incarnation, and the like: and these are distinct articles of faith.

Not the act of believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the Divine Truth at the command of the will moved by the grace of God, so that it is subject to the free will in relation to God: and consequently the act of faith can be meritorious.

Now the act of faith is to believe . . . which is an act of the intellect determinate to one object by the will's command.

To believe is an act of the intellect, inasmuch as the will moves to its assent . . .Now, to believe is immediately an act of the intellect, because the object of that act is the true, which pertains properly to the intellect. Consequently, faith, which is the proper principle of that act, must needs reside in the intellect.

Now the formal object of faith is the First Truth, as manifested in Holy Writ and the teachings of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth. Consequently, whoever does not adhere as to an infallible and Divine rule, to the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth manifested in Holy writ. has not the habit of faith, but holds that which is of faith otherwise than by faith . . . now it is manifest that he who adheres to the teaching of the Church, teaches; otherwise, if, of the things taught by the Church, he holds what he chooses to hold, and rejects what he chooses to reject, he no longer adhers to the teaching of the Church as to an infallible rule, but to his own will . . .Faih adheres to all the articles of faith by reason of one mean, viz. on account of the First Truth proposed to us in Scriptures, according to the teaching of the Church who has the right understanding of them. Hence, whoever abandons this mean is altogether lacking in faith.

 

[Carbon]

Accordingly, if we consider, in faith, the formal aspect of the object, it is nothing else than the first truth. For the faith of which we are speaking does not assent to anything, except because it is revealed by God. Hence, the means on which faith is based is the Divine Truth. If, however, we consider materially the things to which faith assents, they include not only God, but also many other things . . . Things concerning Christ's human nature, and the sacraments of the Church, or any creatures whatever, come under faith, in so fr as by them you are directed to God, and in as much as we assent to them on account of the Divine Truth.


Faith implies assent of the intellect to that which is believed.


Now, since the chief object of faith consists in those things which we hope to see, according to Hebrews 11:1: faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, it follows that those things are in themselves of faith, which order us directly to eternal life. Such are the Trinity of Persons in Almighty God, the mystery of Christ's Incarnation, and the like: and these are distinct articles of faith.

Not the act of believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the Divine Truth at the command of the will moved by the grace of God, so that it is subject to the free will in relation to God: and consequently the act of faith can be meritorious.

Now the act of faith is to believe . . . which is an act of the intellect determinate to one object by the will's command.

To believe is an act of the intellect, inasmuch as the will moves to its assent . . .Now, to believe is immediately an act of the intellect, because the object of that act is the true, which pertains properly to the intellect. Consequently, faith, which is the proper principle of that act, must needs reside in the intellect.

Now the formal object of faith is the First Truth, as manifested in Holy Writ and the teachings of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth. Consequently, whoever does not adhere as to an infallible and Divine rule, to the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth manifested in Holy writ. has not the habit of faith, but holds that which is of faith otherwise than by faith . . . now it is manifest that he who adheres to the teaching of the Church, teaches; otherwise, if, of the things taught by the Church, he holds what he chooses to hold, and rejects what he chooses to reject, he no longer adhers to the teaching of the Church as to an infallible rule, but to his own will . . .Faih adheres to all the articles of faith by reason of one mean, viz. on account of the First Truth proposed to us in Scriptures, according to the teaching of the Church who has the right understanding of them. Hence, whoever abandons this mean is altogether lacking in faith.

Agree? why?
Disagree? why?

 

[atpollard]

Agree? why?
Disagree? why?

Dang, but Thomas Aquinas could have used some help from Mark Twain (or even Henry Thoreau) in expressing ideas in clear and simple prose.

If I understood …

• I agree that faith comes from God (and belief comes from faith). To reverse the order and place free will generating intellectual ascent, intellect begetting belief, and belief begetting faith does yield a “meritorious” faith from the man rather than a faith born of the “First Cause” (God).
• I disagree that “the Church” is the appointed authority for “interpreting” and “understanding” all Scriptural Truth. I believe that the Word of God (scripture) is its own ultimate authority and, as John 6:45 states … those that have “heard and learned of the Father” are the “everyone” that WILL BE “drawn by the Father”, will come to the Son, and will be raised at the last day. Scripture is the “norma normans non normata” (rule of rules that has no higher rule) … not some man made hierarchy claiming infallible divine right succession and exclusive right of interpretation of truth (from the written word, oral tradition and ongoing Divine inspiration of a man).