Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- List of abbreviations and notes about citation
- Introduction
- Part I The critical task
- Part II An exploration of some pre-modern readings of 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thomas Aquinas and 1 Thessalonians
- 3 John Calvin and 1 Thessalonians
- 4 Conclusion to Part II
- Part III A proposed reading of 1 Thessalonians
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index of Biblical references
- Index of authors
- Index of subjects
2 - Thomas Aquinas and 1 Thessalonians
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 November 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- List of abbreviations and notes about citation
- Introduction
- Part I The critical task
- Part II An exploration of some pre-modern readings of 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thomas Aquinas and 1 Thessalonians
- 3 John Calvin and 1 Thessalonians
- 4 Conclusion to Part II
- Part III A proposed reading of 1 Thessalonians
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index of Biblical references
- Index of authors
- Index of subjects
Summary
Introduction
Thomas Aquinas is too rarely revered as a Scriptural theologian. The theologian for whom sacred revelation was directly equivalent to Scripture (‘sacra Scriptura seu doctrina’) would doubtless have approved of the symbolism implicit in the Council of Trent's decision to place his Summa Theologiae aside the altar Bible throughout their deliberations. For Thomas, knowledge and understanding of Scripture were co-dependent on the scientia that is sacra doctrina. Examination of Thomas’ exegesis therefore demands an awareness of the reciprocity between his expositional studies and his more ‘systematic’ works. Thomas would not understand, or probably appreciate, our study of ‘systematic theology’ as distinct from ‘Biblical studies’. Study of Thomas’ exegetical method and contribution must respect his conviction: that theology, as the supreme science, is the most unified of studies working from indemonstrable first principles to a deeper knowledge of itself.
Thomas’ teaching career began at the University of Paris in 1251/2 as a baccalaureus biblicus where, as a cursor biblicus, he lectured on the entirety of Scripture. In 1254 Aquinas was elevated to the post of baccalaureus Sententiarum, obliging him to comment on the Sentences of Peter Lombard (c. 1095–1160). By 1256 Aquinas had graduated to the position of Master in theology (magister in sacra pagina), which for the next three years obliged him to lecture on the Bible daily, to conduct public classroom discussions (quaestiones disputatae), and to preach sermons to clergy and laity. Thus, the three functions of the magister were legere, disputare and praedicare.
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- Information
- Theological Hermeneutics and 1 Thessalonians , pp. 69 - 99Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2005