Lesson 15 –
How to Solve Apparent Contradictions of Faith and Reason

One way to understand the Summa Theologiae is to say that Thomas Aquinas provides us not only a book, but an extensive curriculum into a variety of resolutions of a multitude of difficulties in Scripture and Tradition. And his resolutions, as well as the different ways he resolves questions and difficulties in faith, help us to understand some of the most fundamental truths of all. But despite the many questions and difficulties and complexities of theology, the point of it all remains simple. The point is to know the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ, and to know and love him more and more and enjoy him in eternity.

Course Reading

Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. I, 204-211 | St. John Henry Newman

Summa Theologiae II-II, q. 1, a. 3 | St. Thomas Aquinas

Excerpt from Parochial and Plain Sermons by St. John Henry Newman:

It is indeed a remarkable circumstance, that the very revelation that brings us practical and useful knowledge about our souls, in the very act of doing so, nay (as it would seem), in consequence of doing so, brings us mysteries. We gain spiritual light at the price of intellectual perplexity; a blessed exchange doubtless, (for which is better, to be well and happy within ourselves, or to know what is going on at the world's end?) still at the price of perplexity. For instance, how infinitely important and blessed is the news of eternal happiness? but we learn in connexion with this joyful truth, that there is a state of endless misery too. Now, how great a mystery is this! yet the difficulty goes hand in hand with the spiritual blessing. It is still more strikingly to the point to refer to the message of mercy itself. We are saved by the death of Christ; but who is Christ? Christ is the Very Son of God, Begotten of God and One with God from everlasting, God incarnate. This is our inexpressible comfort, and a most sanctifying truth if we receive it rightly; but how stupendous a mystery is the incarnation and sufferings of the Son of God!

Course Listening

Thomistic Natural Philosophy in a Natural Order with a History | Prof. Brian Carl

Related videos from earlier in the series

This episode was made possible through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this project are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.