Affective Knowledge in the Theology of Thomas Aquinas

AvGerald P. Boersma

Inbunden, Engelska, 2026

1 490 kr

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Beskrivning

According to the standard Thomistic account, God can be known both by nature and revelation. The first is the terrain of metaphysics, which knows God as the cause of his created effects. The second is theology, which knows God through the words in which he has revealed himself. Often neglected, however, is a third way that Aquinas maintains God can be known. Affective knowledge, which proceeds by way of intuition, experience, and union, is fundamental to Aquinas's theological method. The central claim of this book is that, for Aquinas, the new life of grace given in baptism also entails a new affective, connatural knowledge of the things of God. This "loving knowledge," which finds its consummation in beatific knowing, reverberates throughout Aquinas's theological epistemology, underwriting his account of the doctrine of gifts of the Holy Spirit, divine indwelling, the spiritual senses, and theological contemplation.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2026-11-30
Format:Inbunden
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:325
Förlag:Cambridge University Press
ISBN:9781009881302

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Kristendom inom Filosofi och religion

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Gerald P. Boersma is Chair and Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University. He is author of Augustine's Early Theology of Image (Oxford, 2016) and has written numerous articles in theology, philosophy, and literary criticism. He has held fellowships at Villanova University, the University of Tübingen, and the University of Oxford.

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'This is an important book on Aquinas's conception of union with God. Gerald P. Boersma convincingly demonstrates the essential role of love in connatural and experiential knowledge of God, wherein love shapes the formal character of unitive knowledge. To this end, the author shows the value of both the Dionysian heritage and the classical Thomist tradition. Knowing God by experience or connaturality plays a momentous role in St. Thomas's religious epistemology.' Gilles Emery, University of Fribourg, Switzerland

Innehållsförteckning

Introduction: Aquinas and affective knowledge; 1. The tradition of affective Dionysianism; Part I. Natural Affective Knowledge: 2. The union of knowledge; 3. The union of love; 4. Prudential knowledge; Part II. Graced Affective Knowledge: 5. Gifted knowledge; 6. Instinctive knowledge; 7. Faith's knowledge: the gift of understanding; 8. Love's knowledge: the gift of wisdom; Part III. Glorified Affective Knowledge: 9. Indwelling knowledge; 10. Tasty knowledge; 11. Contemplative knowledge; 12. Beatific knowledge; Bibliography.