<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The first part of this essay argues that the very structure and ordering of Thomas Aquinas’ <italic>Summa Theologiae</italic> manifests a departure from the typical theological position of his time regarding natural acquired virtues. Resting on a conviction that grace <italic>presupposes</italic> nature, Aquinas uniquely holds that natural virtues perfective of human nature can be acquired prior to grace, which can be elevated and incorporated by grace into the properly Christian life. The second part of this essay offers a case study of the virtue of patience that illustrates the argument of the first part of the paper.</p>
</abstract>

The first part of this essay argues that the very structure and ordering of Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae manifests a departure from the typical theological position of his time regarding natural acquired virtues. Resting on a conviction that grace presupposes nature, Aquinas uniquely holds that natural virtues perfective of human nature can be acquired prior to grace, which can be elevated and incorporated by grace into the properly Christian life. The second part of this essay offers a case study of the virtue of patience that illustrates the argument of the first part of the paper.

Grace Presupposes Nature: The Structure of the <italic>Summa</italic> and an Illustration by the Virtue of Patience in Light of Christ

European Journal for the Study of Thomas Aquinas

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Grace Presupposes Nature: The Structure of the  and an Illustration by the Virtue of Patience in Light of Christ

The first part of this essay argues that the very structure and ordering of Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae manifests a departure from the typical theological...

Grace Presupposes Nature: The Structure of the Summa and an Illustration by the Virtue of Patience in Light of Christ

Publié en ligne: 09 nov. 2021

Pages: 61 - 78

Reçu: 19 août 2021

Accepté: 20 oct. 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ejsta-2021-0004

Mots clés
Augustine, Peter Lombard, nature and grace, acquired virtues

© 2021 Tyler Pellegrin, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Grace Presupposes Nature: The Structure of the Summa and an Illustration by the Virtue of Patience in Light of Christ

Publié en ligne: 09 nov. 2021

Pages: 61 - 78

Reçu: 19 août 2021

Accepté: 20 oct. 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ejsta-2021-0004

Mots clésAugustine, Peter Lombard, nature and grace, acquired virtues

© 2021 Tyler Pellegrin, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mots clés
Augustine, Peter Lombard, nature and grace, acquired virtues