The 60-Second Aquinas
Lesson
Philosophy Only Takes Us So Far
Aquinas Lesson for August 1, 1998
As humans, we have a genuine and inherent desire for knowledge and understanding – a truth recognized by Aristotle.
In school, we study mathematics, science, literature and language. These are intended to help us learn about abstract truths, the physical world, culture and the way we work, and how to communicate.
Philosophy concerns itself with a combination of these things. Theology, meanwhile, is the study of God.
Aquinas studied theology with reference to philosophy. He took abstract truths, worldly experience, and interaction with others to arrive at truths about the divine essence.
However, Aquinas recognizes philosophy is limited with regard to theology and expresses this in the beginning of his discussion of the Holy Trinity: "We now turn to consideration of this truth [the existence of the Holy Trinity], so far as is possible to us."
Aquinas recognizes he is treading on ground that is often misunderstood. After explaining how there can only be one God, he begins to discuss that the one God is in three forms: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is an apparent paradox that he hopes to explain, but he acknowledges right away that there is a limit as to what "is possible to us."
(Source: Light of Faith: The Compendium of Theology. Chapter 36)
Explanation of The 60-Second Aquinas Lesson
