1.6K
Downloads
27
Episodes
We exist to help the church read Holy Scripture more truly.
Episodes
Monday Jan 22, 2024
Monday Jan 22, 2024
Romans 1:19-20
That which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead…
ST I q 39 a 8 resp
Our intellect, which from creatures is led by the hand into knowledge of God, must consider God insofar as it usurps from creatures.”
ST.I.Q12.A12, response to the question,
Whether God can be known in this life by natural reason?
Our natural knowledge begins from sense. Hence our natural knowledge can go as far as it can be led by sensible things. But our mind cannot be led by sense so far as to see the essence of God; because the sensible effects of God do not equal the power of God as their cause. Hence from the knowledge of sensible things the whole power of God cannot be known; nor therefore can His essence be seen. But because they are His effects and depend on their cause, we can be led from them so far as to know of God whether He exists, and to know of Him what must necessarily belong to Him, as the first cause of all things, exceeding all things caused by Him. Hence we know that His relationship with creatures so far as to be the cause of them all; also that creatures differ from Him, inasmuch as He is not in any way part of what is caused by Him; and that creatures are not removed from Him by reason of any defect on His part, but because He superexceeds them all.
Key Takeaway:
A "divine name" is a predicate, the contents of which is taken ("usurped") from creaturely reality, and then affirmed or removed/negated of God.
For example, in the sentence "God is wise," "God" is the subject, and "wise" is the predicate. However, in order to say "God is wise" with any level of understanding, we have to first know what "wisdom" is with us among creatures, and only after that, can we begin the process of saying this divine name "wise/wisdom" of God.
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Quotation (paraphrased from: https://aquinas.cc/la/en/~QIV.Q9.A3)
From St. Thomas Aquinas, Quod. IV.Q9.A3.response to the question:
“Whether a master by determining theological questions ought more to use reason or authority?
A disputation can be ordered to a twofold end.
1. When it is ordered towards removing a doubt, authorities much be used with whom those disputing will accept. For example, if when it is disputed with Jews, it is necessary to introduce authorities of the Old Testament; if with Manichees, who reject the Old Testament, it is necessary to use only the authorities of the New Testament; yet if with schismatics, who accept the Old and the New Testament, yet not the doctrine of our holy ones, just as are the Greeks, it is necessary to dispute with them out of the authorities of the New and the Old Testament and of those doctors whom they accept; yet if they accept no authority, it is necessary to flee unto natural reasons to convince them.
2. A disputation can be ordered towards instructing the hearers in order that they might be led unto the understanding of the truth which they (already) believe. And then it is necessary to lean on reasons investigating the root of the truth and making to know how what is said is true. Otherwise, if with bare authorities a master should determine a question, a certain hearer shall be certified that it is such, but shall acquire nothing of science or understanding but shall depart empty."
Other Notes
Dogmatics: Focuses on determining our will to hold the truth by using various authorities. For example, the authority John the Apostle says that "God is love," therefore we believe the truth that "God is love."
Systematics: Focuses on increasing our understanding of the truths we already hold. For example, giving the formal cause or explanation for the truth that "God is love" (How does "God is love" differ or compare with "God is a rock").
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Proverbs 4:5-7
"Get wisdom, get understanding: Forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: Love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: And with all thy getting get understanding."
Overview
In this inaugural episode of Truths From The Text, we give some personal introductions and an overview of what we hope to accomplish in future episodes.