Lesson 21 –
The Light of Reason vs. the Light of Faith

Aquinas explains that the highest light — light in the most full sense — is the purely intellectual light that is God himself. We are able to receive a participation or share in this perfect divine light in three degrees: by nature (the light of natural reason), by grace (the light of faith and other special graces), and, for the saints in heaven, the light of glory by which they see God directly, face to face.

Course Reading

Commentary on 2 Corinthians, nos. 164-167 | St. Thomas Aquinas

Summa Theologiae II-II q. 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas

Excerpt from St. Thomas Aquinas’ Commentary on 2 Corinthians:

“That we are absent from the Lord is proved, when he says, for we walk by faith, i.e., we pass through this life in faith, and not by sight: because faith deals with things not seen. For the word of faith is as a lamp with which the road is lit in this life: your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my steps (Ps 119:105). But in heaven there will be no such lamp, because the radiance of God, i.e., God himself, has enlightened it (Rev 21:23). Therefore, we shall then see him by sight, i.e., in his essence.”

Course Listening

Thomas Aquinas and the Harmony of Faith and Reason | Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P.

The Reasonableness of Faith and the Faithfulness of Reason | Dr. Jeremy Wilkins

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.