the principles of grace according to thomas aquinas

280 Pages·2017·1.77 MB·English

by  Luke Martin

THE PRINCIPLES OF GRACE
ACCORDING TO THOMAS AQUINAS

Luke Samuel Martin
Keble College

Supervised by Brian Leftow and William Wood
Faculty of Theology and Religion
University of Oxford

A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Hilary Term 2018
1
Declaration of Authorship

I hereby certify that the thesis I am submitting is my own original work, except where
otherwise indicated. No proper part of this thesis has been submitted, or is currently
being submitted, for any degree, diploma, certificate, or other qualification in this
University or elsewhere.

Luke Martin
Keble College

2
Acknowledgements

First, I would like to thank my family: my parents, Brian and Christine; my siblings,
James, Ben, Matthew, Lucy, Susannah, and Emily-Grace. They have supported me during
the writing of the thesis, and several of them have been kind enough to read over a
draft of a chapter and offer suggestions.

I would like to thank my supervisors, Brian Leftow and William Wood, for the training and
feedback that they have given me over the years.

The community at Keble College has supported me during the DPhil experience. Particular
thanks goes to Markus Bochmuehl, Sarah Apetrei, Nathan Eubank, Alessandro Simari,
Jennifer Strawbridge, Howard Smith, and Terry Irwin.

I was greatly encouraged and challenged through being part of the ‘Thursday
Theologians’. Thanks goes in particular to Max Baker-Hytch, James Crocker, Gregory
Stacey, Rich Park, Martin Smith, Ben Page, and Luke Teeninga.

I must also mention the late Marilyn McCord Adams, who offered me invaluable
instruction on Ockham. Thanks also goes to Cecilia Trifogli who helped me with a
translation of a difficult passage of Ockham.
3
Financial assistance was provided by the Liddon Trust, St Matthias Trust, the Squire and
Marriott Fund, and by Keble College.

4
Abstract

My thesis investigates Thomas Aquinas’ doctrine of Grace. There are several aspects to
this doctrine, and I am primarily interested in Aquinas’ claim that God bestows a
supernatural quality on some human beings—a quality called ‘grace’. In the thesis I am
concerned with two research questions: is the quality of grace necessary for justification
and/or sanctification? And if it is, how does a person get it?

Discussion of Aquinas’ doctrine of grace has been widespread in certain schools of
Thomism, notably the Strict-Observance School (see Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange),
Augustinian Thomism (see the work of Henri de Lubac, particularly his Mystere du
Surnaturel), and Transcendental Thomism (see Karl Rahner). One school of Thomism
where discussion of grace is lacking is that of ‘analytical Thomism’ (Haldane, 2004). One
could argue that analytical Thomism might come under another recent movement within
theology: namely, analytic theology (Crisp and Rea, 2009). I adopt a methodology roughly
characteristic of either analytical Thomism or analytic theology.

For Aquinas, the quality of grace is needed for the processes of both justification and
sanctification. In my first chapter I get clear on the nature of this quality, engaging in a
debate over whether it is created or uncreated. In the second chapter I look to the
thought of Duns Scotus and William of Ockham to begin to address the question of
5
whether created grace is necessary for justification and acceptance to eternal life. I then
look to the reformers, particularly Calvin, in whom we find a wholesale rejection of the
need for created grace for justification. Noting the agreement of Aquinas and Calvin on
the need for new dispositions for sanctification (what Aquinas simply calls ‘grace’), I move
on to the question of how a person gets created grace. I compare Aquinas and Calvin on
the necessary and sufficient conditions for a bestowal of grace in the Eucharist. Finally, I
seek to address the question of the plausibility of the claim that created grace is bestowed
through material rites like the sacraments.

6
Table of Contents
TITLE PAGE 1
DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3
ABSTRACT 5
INTRODUCTION 11
1 UNCREATED/CREATED GRACE IN AQUINAS 23
Introduction 23
Part 1
Thomas on Grace 23
Habits 26
Participation 31
A Likeness of the Divine Nature 34
Justification 38
Justification and Free-will 43
Sanctification 46
Part 2
Garrigou-Lagrange and the Medieval Context 48
Williams and Uncreated Grace: Two Arguments 50
Williams on Uncreated Grace: Critique 54
Karl Rahner and the Appeal to Analogy 57
Williams: an Attempt at Clarification 62
7
Part 3
The Work of the Holy Spirit 67
Conclusion 69
2 ON THE NEED FOR CREATED GRACE 70
Introduction 70
Aquinas 71
Scotus 74
Ockham 79
Ockham on Ordained and Absolute Power 79
Ockham on the Necessity of Grace 84
Further Critique: Expanding on Adams 101
Conclusion 114
3 JOHN CALVIN 116
Introduction 116
Part 1
Calvin on Justification 117
Calvin on the Cause of Justification 121
Sanctification 126
Part 2
Section 1: ‘Initial Defence of Imputation’ 128
Section 2: ‘Against Osiander Mixing Justification and Regeneration’ 134
Section 3: ‘Osiander’s Doctrine Nullifies the Certainty of Salvation’ 137
8
Section 4: ‘Refutation of Scholastic Doctrines of Good Works as 139
Effective for Justification’

Section 4a 143
Against Calvin: Aquinas on Justification by Faith
Section 4b 146
Against Calvin: Reward for Works
Part 3
Deciphering the Nature of the Disagreement 149
Free Will 150
Free Will: Indecisive 153
Perseverance of the Saints: Decisive 156
Conclusion 162
4 NECESSARY AND SUFFICIENT CONDITIONS FOR GRACE 164
THROUGH THE EUCHARIST
Introduction 164
Disagreement and Agreement 164
Aquinas 168
Calvin’s Contention 175
A Faith-less Aquinas? 186
Baptism 187
Eucharist 193
9
Conclusion 195
5 THE PLAUSIBILITY QUESTION 196
Introduction 196
Context Part 1: Cuneo 196
Context Part 2: Divine Silence and Mediation 199
Grace through the Eucharist 203
Definition of ‘Supernatural’ 205
Supernatural End 210
Supernatural Powers 211
The Power to Avoid Committing Mortal Sin 213
The Power to Know Supernatural Truths 220
The Power to Merit Eternal Life 231
God’s Bestowal of Grace 241
Grace through the Eucharist: Natural Reasons 242
Grace through the Eucharist: Revealed Reasons 247
Memorialism: an Objection to Revealed Reasons 250
Conclusion 256
CONCLUSION 257
BIBLIOGRAPHY 262

10