Thread by @MilitantThomist

Some reflections on the relationship between manuals and the classics in theological and philosophical formation 🧵

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Through the past year or so, I have been thinking through how to apply Fr. Melchor Cano’s reflection on the relationship between “modern” (scholastic era) and ancient books. Richard Holdworth’s (Master of Emmanuel College at Cambridge...

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...and member of the Westminster Assembly) method has given me plenty of food for thought.

My basic idea (and advice for those who approach me asking about theological and philosophical formation) is that we ought to distinguish between the...

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...“matter” and “form” of educational material. I find that, in our current environment, no one has been able to strike the balance well.

Most programs will provide a quick gloss of certain textbooks covering a certain locus, without inducing students to think about it.

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An example of this would be reading a short work outlining the doctrine of the Trinity. One memorizes the various propositions of the system, but, due to the lack of contemplating and debate, this is merely a material grasping of a system.

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Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange describes this as a student in metaphysics being able to repeat the magister’s argument, without grasping the connection, intrinsic and extrinsic.

Others provide a never ending litany of primary resources without any sort of universal synthesis...

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...or sustained analysis. In this, the student is not properly disposed to receive the form of contemplation and sustained reflection. An example would be throwing St. Augustine’s De Trintiate at a first year student without giving him the background of a basic...

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...introduction to Trinitarian thought. I have encountered many students who are like this. They have plenty of interesting ideas about the Trinity and boast in the range of their readings, but hardly can be said to perceive the doctrine of the Trinity...

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...in its fullness. There are many in this sad state who jump from book to book, reading much, but learning little. There is no sustained reflection or profound thought. It is as if one has decided to run onto the soccer field without doing any drills.

Rather, as Cano...

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...says, we ought to “take matter from one [contemporary manuals], and form from the other [classic works].” Holdsworth strikes this balance. First, in order to gain the rudiments of a certain locus one ought to read a basic manual (he recommends one read it twice).

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Then, one ought to read a more advanced manual, to deepen the principles introduced in the basic work. IT IS ONLY NOW that the student is ready for classics. If he just “jumps in” to the classics, he will be able to boast of reading them, yet will acquire little fruit...

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...from this study. It is here, in one’s philosophical education, that he read Aristotle’s works (one should read it with St. Thomas’ commentary).

For philosophy, this is relatively easy to outline, philosophy manuals then Aristotle, but for theology this is a bit...

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...more difficult. Take the Summa for example, it seems to fit into the category of a “manual” that introduces a student into the rudiments of theological science. St. Thomas has this view himself, “we purpose in this book to treat of whatever belongs...

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...to the Christian religion in such a way as may befit the instruction of beginners.” Yet, on the other hand, if one peruses the commentary tradition on the Summa, we can see that it IS a profound work that is able to inspire deep reflection on individual...

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...areas of theology. Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange captures this well, "For many, adequate theological training is given by a manual that can be studied in three years, and that one does not feel impelled to reread, because all it contains is quickly exhausted. Who can...

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...claim that the perfection of theological culture is found in such a study? Others can satisfy the demands of their minds only by the profound study of St. Thomas and of his principal commentators. This study is neither an extraordinary undertaking nor a luxury...

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...for them; it is necessary for the training of their minds. They realize that even if they spend all their lives teaching the Summa theologica, written though it is for novices, they will never exhaust it, and will never arrive at a complete grasp of its breadth...

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...height, and depth; to do so, would require an intellect equal to that of the master. ‘To comprehend is to equal,’ said Raphael. To study the tract on grace, some will consecrate three months to it and scarcely ever return to it; others understand that...

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...the work of a lifetime would not suffice to penetrate what the doctors of the Church wished to tell us about this great mystery."

Perhaps the Summa is just the perfect work? I’m joking (kind of). I need to reflect more on this...

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...question, considering how the “modern” manuals of theology relate to the Summa and the commentary tradition.

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Check out this work on Reforming Classical Education from @DavenantInst : davenantinstitute.org/reforming-clas…

@JamesDerryberry you will find this interesting