Why does contemporary theology display a historical amnesia towards medieval philosophy? Medieval philosophy is sometimes neglected altogether and where medieval philosophy is discussed today, it is often misunderstood or caricatured in negative ways. One of the more common mischaracterizations is that Thomas Aquinas is a pure rationalist who subverts the Scriptures at the expense of his philosophical musings. Contrary to this narrative, Aquinas was a man who was steeped in the Scriptures. For Thomas, the love of God is more important than the knowledge of God, even though both are absolutes. Theology is even superior to philosophy as it is the highest part of metaphysics. Unfortunately, a major shift took place after Aquinas, a shift that eventually evolved into modernism and postmodernism abandonment of a Christian view of God and his world.
In this episode, Peter Kreeft joins Matthew Barrett in discussing the importance of the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas. The pair discuss theology, metaphysics, and the perils of modernism. In doing so, they make the case for why philosophy matters for reason and faith today.
Lance English is an editor for Credo Magazine and a Ph.D. student in Systematic Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He serves as a pastor at Trinity Church in Kansas City and is married to Brielle.
