“… hope is called the entrance to faith…” – St. Thomas Aquinas (IIa IIae QQ.17)
Today we share the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) from his masterpiece ‘Summa Theologica’, which was written by Aquinas between the years 1265 and 1274.
One of the most impressive and influential treatises on Christian theology ever written, the ‘Summa Theologica’ offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the Christian faith and moral life. Although obviously a work of theology, the ‘Summa Theologica’ also presents tight philosophical reasoning throughout. In fact, Thomas Aquinas is known for his synthesis of Christian theology with Aristotelian philosophy, a framework known as Thomism.
Quotes From ‘Summa Theologica’ On FAITH
Referenced here is the 1981 Christian Classics, Ave Maria Press edition of ‘Summa Theologica’, published under a license granted by Benziger Brothers, Inc. and reprinted from the 1948 Benziger edition of ‘Summa Theologica’ (originally published in English 1911). The following Thomas Aquinas quotes on Faith are excerpted, specifically, from Volume III (IIa IIae QQ.1-148) of the ‘Summa Theologica’. Of most importance in regards to Faith in Volume III of the ‘Summa Theologica’ are QQ.1-7 and QQ.16.
QQ.1 – Of Faith
“Having to treat now of the theological virtues, we shall begin with Faith, secondly we shall speak of Hope, and thirdly of Charity.” – Introduction
“… 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 mean on which faith is based is the Divine Truth.” – First Article
“Faith is a mean between science and opinion.” – Second Article
“Faith is a virtue that perfects the intellect…” – Third Article
“Faith implies assent of the intellect to the which is believed… by the habit of faith, the human mind is directed to assent to such things as are becoming to a right faith, and not to assent to others.” – Fourth Article
“The truth of faith is sufficiently explicit in the teaching of Christ and the apostles.” – Tenth Article
QQ.2 – Of The Act Of Faith
“… faith resides in the reason…” – First Article
“… the object of faith can be considered either on the part of the intellect, or on the part of the will that moves the intellect. If it be considered on the part of the intellect, then two things can be observed in the object of faith… One of these is the material object of faith, and in this way an act of faith is to believe in a God; because… nothing is proposed to our belief, except in as much as it is referred to God. The other is the formal aspect of the subject, for it is the medium on account of which we assent to… a point of faith; and thus an act of faith is to believe God, since… the formal object of faith is the Firth Truth, to which man gives his adhesion… Thirdly, if the object of faith be considered in so far as the intellect is moved by the will, an act of faith is to believe in God. For the first Truth is referred to the will, through having the aspect of an end. These three do not denote different acts of faith, but one and the same act having different relations to the object of faith.” – Second Article
“… the will moves the intellect, and the other powers of the soul to the end: and in this respect an act of faith is to believe in God.” – Second Article
“Just as man assents to first principles, by the natural light of his intellect, so does a virtuous man, by the habit of virtue, judge aright of things concerning that virtue; and in this way, by the light of faith which God bestows on him, a man assents to matters of faith and not to those which are against faith.” – Third Article
“It is necessary for man to accept by faith not only things which are above reason, but also those which can be known by reason.” – Fourth Article
“… the direct object of faith is that whereby man is made one of the Blessed… he is bound to have faith…” – Fifth Article
“Simple persons should not be put to the test about subtle questions of faith…” – Sixth Article
“… it is not human knowledge, but the Divine Truth that is the rule of faith…” – Sixth Article
“… the object of faith includes, properly and directly, that thing through which man obtains beatitude.” – Seventh Article
“Before Christ’s coming, faith in the Trinity lay hidden in the faith of the learned, but through Christ and the apostles it was shown to the world.” – Eighth Article
“… neither nature nor faith can, without charity, produce a meritorious act…” – Ninth Article
“Whatever is in opposition to faith, whether it consist in a man’s thoughts, or in outward persecution, increases the merit of faith…” – Tenth Article
QQ.3 – Of The Outward Act Of Faith
“The end of faith, even as of the other virtues, must be referred to the end of charity, which is the love of God and our neighbor.” – Second Article
“… where faith is in danger, every one is bound to proclaim his faith to others, either to give good example and encouragement to the rest of the faithful, or to check the attacks of unbelievers…” – Second Article
QQ.4 – Of The Virtue Itself Of Faith
“Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for… when we say that it is the substance of things to be hoped for, we distinguish the virtue of faith from faith commonly so called, which has no reference to the beatitude we hope for… Whatever other definitions are given of faith, are explanations of this one given by the Apostle. For when Augustus says that “faith is a virtue whereby we believe what we do not see”, and when Damascene says that “faith is an assent without research”, and when others say that “faith is that certainty of the mind about absent things which surpasses opinion but falls short of science”, these all amount to the same as the Apostle’s words: Evidence of things that appear not: and when Dionysius says that “faith is the solid foundation of the believer, establishing him in the truth, and showing forth the truth in him”, comes to the same as substance of things to be hoped for.” – First Article
“Since faith pertains to the intellect as commanded by the will, it must needs be directed, as to its end, to the objects of those virtues which perfect the will, among which is hope…” – First Article
“… faith worketh by charity just as the speculative intellect becomes practical by extension.” – Second Article
“… the love of charity is the form of faith… Charity is called the form of faith because it quickens the act of faith.” – Third Article
“… since faith is a perfection of the intellect, that pertains directly to faith, which pertains to the intellect.” – Fourth Article
“Grace causes faith not only when faith begins anew to be in a man, but also as long as faith lasts.” – Fourth Article
“… man is justified by faith… Therefore faith is a virtue.” – Fifth Article
“… any habit that is always the principle of a good act, may be called a human virtue. Such a habit is living faith.” – Fifth Article
“Faith is numbered among the fruits, in so far as it gives a certain pleasure in its act by reason of its certainty…” – Fifth Article
“… there is one faith of things both temporal and eternal.” – Sixth Article
“… faith is first among the virtues… Faith, by its very nature, precedes all other virtues. For since the end is the principle in matters of action, the theological virtues, the object of which is the last end, must needs precede all the others… as the last end is present in the will by hope and charity, and in the intellect, by faith, the first of all the virtues must, of necessity, be faith, because natural knowledge cannot reach God as the object of heavenly bliss, which is the aspect under which hope and charity tend towards Him.” – Seventh Article
“… fortitude removes the inordinate fear that hinders faith; humility removes pride, whereby a man refuses to submit himself to the truth of faith.” – Seventh Article
“… obedience follows faith…” – Seventh Article
QQ.5 – Of Those Who Have Faith
“Since… man and the angels were created with the gift of grace, we must needs say that there was in them a certain beginning of hoped-for happiness, by reason of grace received but not yet consummate, which happiness was begun in their will by hope and charity, and in the intellect by faith. Consequently we must hold that the angels had faith before they were confirmed, and man, before he sinned.” – First Article
“… faith is commended… in the faithful of Christ…” – Second Article
“Faith, which is a gift of grace, inclines man to believe, by giving him a certain affection for the good, even when that faith is lifeless.” – Second Article
“… a man’s faith may be described as being greater, in one way, on the part of his intellect, on account of its greater certitude and firmness, and, in another way, on the part of his will, on account of his greater promptitude, devotion, or confidence.” – Fourth Article
“It is essential to faith that one should give the first place to the First Truth.” – Fourth Article
QQ.6 – Of The Cause Of Faith
“Two things are requisite for faith, First, that the things which are of faith should be proposed to man: this is necessary in order that man believe anything explicitly. The second thing requisite for faith is the assent of the believer to the things which are proposed to him. Accordingly, as regards the first of these, faith must needs be from God. Because those things which are of faith surpass human reason, hence they do not come to man’s knowledge, unless God reveal them.” – First Article
“… man, by assenting to matters of faith, is raised above his nature.” – First Article
“… faith, as regards the assent which is the chief act of faith, is from God moving man inwardly by grace.” – First Article
QQ.7 – Of The Effects Of Faith
“… faith begets hope, in so far as it enables us to appreciate the prize which God awards to the just…” – First Article
“… the first beginning of the heart’s purifying is faith…” – Second Article
QQ.16 – Of The Precepts Of Faith, Knowledge, And Understanding
“… the primary subjection of man to God is by faith… Faith is necessary as being the principle of spiritual life…” – First Article
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