by Matthew Gaetano Andrew Kuiper’s reflections (here, here, and here) on the theological context for Dan Edelstein’s account of natural rights inspired me to revisit Fr. Dominic Legge’s piece for Nova et Vetera, “Do Thomists Have Rights?” He responds to Brian Tierney’s essential work, The Idea of Natural Rights. In this work, Tierney argues that… Read More Thomas Aquinas on Subjective Rights
by Matthew Gaetano As we anticipate Holy Week, I thought that it might be of some interest to present Vincent Contenson’s (1641-1674) remarks on the Passion and Death of Christ from his Theology of the Mind and the Heart. Despite his death at the early age of 33, Contenson was a famous Dominican preacher, Thomist… Read More Baroque Thomism and the Passion of Christ
by Matthew Gaetano In the excellent dialogue hosted at the Regensburg Forum several months ago about Vatican II, religious freedom, and political theology, Boniface VIII seems (quite understandably) to have been in the background. His 1308 bull Unam Sanctam makes several claims that remain important to contemporary theological discussion. Boniface speaks of two swords: the spiritual and the temporal. Both… Read More Boniface VIII’s Two Swords and the Theologians
by Jonathan Tomes Trevor does not say anything very controversial in his criticism of Pierced for Our Transgressions, not according to scholarship, but I hope in what follows to raise significant concerns about the state of relevant scholarship on Aquinas’s doctrine of atonement. I will not argue for a model or theory of penal substitutionary… Read More What Exactly is Satisfaction in Aquinas? A short essay on a long note
The Regensburg Forum is pleased to feature a guest essay by Dr. Charles Raith II. He currently serves as the Vice President of Ethics and Mission at Mercy Health Ministry. Previously, he was Assistant Professor of Religion & Philosophy at John Brown University. Introduction “The Schools have always gone from worse to worse, until at… Read More Scholastic Developments on Merit: A Downward Path into Pelagianism?
by Trevor Anderson Elsewhere I’ve discussed two aspirations of New Calvinist theology: a commitment to clear thinking and argumentation, and competent engagement with relevant conversations (viz., “scholarship”). Here I’d like to note an instance in one prominent New Calvinist resource that falls short of these two ideals and so illustrates the need for more promising modes of inquiry and argument. Steve… Read More A Note on Aquinas and Penal Atonement
by Trevor Anderson Pastor Dewey Roberts has written a piece for The Aquila Report titled “Aquinas Is Not Safe Guide for Protestants.” Roberts writes to advise Protestants that Thomas Aquinas is not as great an aid to careful Christian thinking as is often supposed by some Reformed and evangelical authors (e.g. posts like this, or this). He lists six significant… Read More Dangerous Aquinas: A Response to Dewey Roberts
by Trevor Anderson In this and some following posts, I’d like to highlight what I see to be some notable convergences between the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas, the 13th century “common doctor” of the Church, and Pastor John Piper, whose philosophical theology exerts considerable influence on New Calvinist thought. Christian Hedonism and Practical Reason First,… Read More St. Thomas and Christian Hedonism: Desiring Good