Jaarboek Thomas Instituut 1997 - Thomas Instituut te Utrecht

More documents

Recommendations

Info

18 PIM VALKENBERG Christian in the Middle Ages and a Christian in modem, pluralistic society is very much apparent, is precisely the assessment of people of other faiths". In the Middle Ages, the general idea was that most of the people were Christians, and that those who did not follow the lead of the Church, did so out of stubbornness. Theologians contemplated the marginal case of the nutritus in silva (someone who is left in the woods, and grows up without knowledge' of Christian faith) but the general thought was that practically everybody could know that they were to be saved by Christ. It goes without saying that this is a world view radically different from ours. At that time, no one seemed to bother very much about other peoples and cultures: to most of the civilians, they were either indifferent or threatening. The famous axiom Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus (there is no salvation outside the Church) fitted in with this mentality very welf". Aquinas seems to share this mentality when he deals with disbelief as a vice contrary to the theological virtue of faith (Summa theologiae II-II, qq. 10-16). For him, infidelitas is disbelief rather than unbelief: a rejection of what should be believed rather than a lack of assent". For us, who are impressed by the multitude of cultures and religions as part of God's creation, the faith of those others would not be perceived primarily as a form of unbelief, let alone disbelief. But for Aquinas, someone who does not believe, willingly denies the truth of Christian faith, and thus commits a sin excluding him or her from salvation. Even those who, through no fault of their own, have heard nothing about the faith, are condemned, albeit because of other sins". It is precisely at this point where the difference between the seemingly callous mentality of the Middle Ages and the more 25 Cp. Pesch, Thomas von Aquin, chapter three: "Der Waldmensch oder: die Welt des Thomas von Aquin", pp.52-65. 26 Cp. W, Kern, AujJerhaLbder Kirche kein Heil?, Freiburg 1978; E. Schillebeeckx, Mensen als verhaal van God, Baarn 1989. 27 See the explanatory note in St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae, volume 32: consequences of Faith (2a 2ae.8-16). Latin text, English translation, lntroduction, Notes & Glossary Thomas Gilby O.P., London 1975, pp.38-39. 28 Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae II-II, q.lO a.1.
AQUINAS AND INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE 19 considerate mentality of the twentieth century becomes clear. Consequently, the second Vatican Council did no longer endorse the idea that people who did not know about Christ and the Church, could attain no salvation: it even positively stated that these persons could attain salvation, if they are sincerely seeking God29• This important adjustment brings the Vatican Council in almost diametrical opposition to the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1442) which canonized the extra Ecclesiam nulla salus-doctrineJO• It seems to bring the Vatican Council in opposition to the mentality of Aquinas as well, who does not share the modem preferences for plurality and tolerance. Disbelievers are not different people believing different things, but they depart from the truth. There is no place for real difference: the others are deviators, either because they resist the faith before it has been accepted (such is the case of the pagans), or because they resist it after having accepted it either in the mode of a prefiguration (such is the case of the Jews), or in the mode of the truth itself (this is the case with the heretics)". Or, to put it in other words, Jews and pagans deviate from the ultimate end of their lives, because they refuse to assent to Christ; heretics do assent to Christ, but not in a correct way". In a certain sense, the heretics are the worst, because they know the fullness of faith, and yet resist it33• And therefore, they are not to be tolerated: because they corrupt the faith, they deserve capital punishment, even as forgers are condemned to death by the civil authorities. When the Church is convinced that they will not change their minds, she will excommunicate them and 29 Dogmatic constitution Lumen gentium, no. 16: "Qui enim Evangelium Christi Eiusque Ecclesiam sine culpa ignorantes, Deum tarnen sincero corde quaerunt, Eiusque voluntatem per conscientiae dictamen agnitam, operibus adimplere, sub gratiae influxu, conantur, aeternam salutem consequi possunt". Latin text in Lexikon for Theologie und Kirche, Das Zweite Yaiikanische Konzil, I, Freiburg 1966, p. 204. 30 Schillebeeckx, Mensen als verhaal van God, p. 17; Dupuis, Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism, chapter three: "No Salvation outside the Church?", pp. 84-109. 31 Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae II-II, q.l0 a.S. 32 Summa theologiae (= ST) II-II, q.ll a.l . 33 ST II-II q.lO a.6.
Page 2 and 3: Bestuur Prof. dr. H.A.G. Braakhuis
Page 4 and 5: Redactie Dr. H.J.M. Schoot (hoofdre
Page 6 and 7: H. W.M. ten Have WIE KENT DE KRACHT
Page 8 and 9: 8 H.I.M. SCHOOT cornerstone of any
Page 10 and 11: 10 PIM VALKENBERG This wider perspe
Page 12 and 13: 12 PIM VALKENBERG the doctrinal aut
Page 14 and 15: 14 PIM VALKENBERG thoughts in the M
Page 16 and 17: 16 PIM VALKENBERG wanted to investi
Page 20 and 21: 20 PIM VALKENBERG hand them over to
Page 22 and 23: 22 PIM VALKENBERG religions=", Whil
Page 24 and 25: 24 PIM VALKENBERG in front of the H
Page 26 and 27: 26 PIM VALKENBERG Aquinas remains b
Page 28 and 29: 28 PIM VALKENBERG 2.3 The rules of
Page 30 and 31: 30 PIM VALKENBERG of the subject-ma
Page 32 and 33: 32 PIM VALKENBERG the Qur' än come
Page 34 and 35: 34 PIM VALKENBERG encourage and str
Page 36 and 37: 36 PIM VALKENBERG arguments are of
Page 38 and 39: 38 PIM VALKENBERG The reference to
Page 40 and 41: 40 PIM VALKENBERG almightiness - th
Page 42 and 43: 42 PIM VALKENBERG The first name wh
Page 44 and 45: 44 PIM VALKENBERG Finally, we meet
Page 46 and 47: 46 PIM VALKENBERG Christians in Spa
Page 49 and 50: KOM EN ZIE WAAR IK WOON! Aantekenin
Page 51 and 52: DE TOEGANG TOT CHRISTUS 51 geen bet
Page 53 and 54: DE TOEGANG TOT CHRISTUS 53 het begi
Page 55 and 56: DE TOEGANG TOT CHRISTUS 55 dan bij
Page 57 and 58: DE TOEGANG TOT CHRISTUS 57 overtuig
Page 59 and 60: DE TOEGANG TOT CHRISTUS 59 c) Een d
Page 61: DE TOEGANG TOT CHRISTUS 61 SUMMARY
Page 64 and 65: 64 M.A.J.M. BUIJSEN de natuurrechts
Page 66 and 67: 66 M.A.J .M. BUIJSEN de eerste plaa
Page 68 and 69:
68 M.A.I.M. BUnSEN II, q.90 a.2c va
Page 70 and 71:
70 M.A.J.M. BUUSEN worden, is het b
Page 72 and 73:
72 M.A.I.M. BUIJSEN qq. 90-97,16 da
Page 74 and 75:
74 M.A.I.M. BUUSEN hebben bij het v
Page 76 and 77:
76 M.A.J.M. BUUSEN echter niet geze
Page 78 and 79:
78 M.A.J.M. BUUSEN vermogens van de
Page 80 and 81:
80 M.A.J.M. BUUSEN zij tot het geme
Page 82 and 83:
82 M.A.] .M. BUUSEN dat een wet in
Page 85 and 86:
WIE KENT DE KRACHT VAN UW TOORN? Ov
Page 87 and 88:
WIE KENT DE KRACHT VAN UW TOORN? 87
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
kwestie' .20 WIE KENT DE KRACHT VAN
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
WIE KENTDE KRACHTVANUW TOORN? 107 d
Page 109:
Page 112 and 113:
112 ANTONIE VOS loyal to Saint Thom
Page 114 and 115:
114 ANTONIE VOS different (20). The
Page 116 and 117:
116 ANTONIE VOS what is thus far sa
Page 118 and 119:
118 ANTONIE VOS used in ordinary sp
Page 120 and 121:
120 ANTONIE VOS describe and to ana
Page 122 and 123:
122 ANTONIE VOS with the divine wil
Page 124 and 125:
124 ANTONIE VOS ancient Greek philo
Page 126 and 127:
126 ANTONIE VOS church and society
Page 129 and 130:
AQUINAS ON NECESSITY AND TIME A Res
Page 131 and 132:
A RESPONSE TO ANTONIE VOS 131 done-
Page 133:
A RESPONSE TO ANTONIE VOS 133 take
Page 136 and 137:
136 THOMAS F. O'MEARA but this pres
Page 138 and 139:
138 H.W.M. RIKHOF continue. The thr
Page 140 and 141:
140 H.W.M. RIKHOF Peccatum" Joseph
Page 142 and 143:
142 H.W.M. RIKHOF (Hogeschool Holla
Page 144 and 145:
144 H.W.M. RIKHOF 7. Publications i
Page 146:
PRlI'ITED ON PERMANENT PAPER· IMPR
show all

Jaarboek Thomas Instituut 1997 - Thomas Instituut te Utrecht

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?