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Thomas Aquinas and Raymundus Lullus*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

Martin Anton Schmidt
Martin Anton Schmidt
Affiliation:
San Francisco Theological Seminary
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Extract

Raymundus Lullus (Ramon Lull) tells of an educated Mohammedan ruler, who, when urged by a missionary to embrace the Christian faith, answered him: “Prove to me that your faith is true; then I, with all my subjects, shall adhere to it.” The missionary replied that Christian faith is too sublime a thing to be proved, and he contented himself with explaining the actual belief of the Christians. Answered the king: “If you ask me to leave what has been my faith thus far, then you should give me something reasonable instead of it.” Lull uses this story in order to warn missionaries among the Mohammedans not to follow such a method. According to him, it is useless and even ridiculous to refuse to discuss Christianity in philosophical terms in giving demonstrations of its truth to people who are acquainted with such a method.

Type
Research Article
Information
Church History , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , June 1960 , pp. 123 - 140
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Church History 1960

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References

1. Keicher, O., Raymundus Lullus und seine Stellung zur arabischen Philosophie, = Beiträge zur Geschichte der Philosophie des Mittelalters, VII, 4/5 (Münster, 1909)Google Scholar; Gottron, A., Ramon Lulls Kreuzzugsideen, = Abhandlungen zur mittleren, und neueren Geschichte, XXXIX (Berlin-Leipzig, 1912)Google Scholar; Probst, J. H., La mystique de Ramón Lull et l'Art de Contemplwió=Beitrdge zur Geschichte der Philosophie des Mittelalters, XIII, 2/3 (Münster, 1914)Google Scholar; Longpré, E., article “Lulle”, in Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, IX 1 (Paris, 1926), 1072–1141Google Scholar; Peers, E. A., Ramon Lull: A Biography (London, 1929)Google Scholar; Miscel-lània Lul-liana Homenatge at B. Ramon Lull en ocasió del VII centenari de la seva naixença (Barcelona, 1935); T., and Artau, J. Carreras y, Historia de la filosofia española de los siglos XIII al XV, vol. I (Madrid, 1939)Google Scholar; Xirau, J., Vida y obra de Ramón Llull (México, D. F., 1947)Google Scholar; Llull, Ramón, Obras Literarias, ed. by Batllori, M. and Caldentoy, M., = Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos, XXXI (Madrid, 1948)Google Scholar; Schmidt, M. A., “Thomas von Aquino und Raymundus Lullus, zwei Grundtypen missionarischen Denkens im Mittelalter”, Evangelisches Missions-Magazin, XCVII (Basel, 1953), 37–46Google Scholar; de Franch, R. Sugranyes, Raymond Lulle Docteur des Missions, = Nouvelle Revue de Science Missionnaire, Suppl. V (Schöneck-Beckenried, 1954).Google Scholar

2. Liber de convenientia fidei et intellectus in obiecto, III, 1. Quoted by Keicher, 63.

3. Getino, L. G. A., La Summa contra Gentes y el Pugio fidei (Vergara, 1905)Google Scholar; Grabmann, M., “Die Missionsidee bei den Dominikanertheologen des 13. Jahrhunderts”, Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft, I (Münster, 1911), 137–146Google Scholar; Th. Ohm, “Akkommodaton und Assimilation in der Heideiimission nach dem hl. Thomas von Aquin”, ibid., XVII(Münster, 1927), 94–113; Ohm, Th., Die Stellung der Heiden zu Natur und Übernatur nach dem hl. Thomas von Aquin, = Missionswissenschaftliche Abhandlunagen and Texte, VII (Münster, 1927)Google Scholar; Schärer, H., Die Begründung der Mission in der katholischen und evangelischen Missionswissenchaft, = Theologische Studien, XVI (Zollikon-Zürich, 1944)Google Scholar; Schmidt, M. A., “Thomas von Aquino und die Mohammedanermission”, Evangelischcs Missions-Magazin, XCIX (Basel, 1955) 70–79.Google Scholar

4. Summa theologiac (hereafter: STh), I, q. 32, a. 1, resp.

5. Cap. 5 of Vita Beati Raynundi Lulli. This is the Latin reeension of the Vida coctània. Both arc printed in Obras literarias, 43–77.

6. Hereafter: ScG, and AM. See Cnrreras y Artau, 288–300, and Longpré, 1092–1096, for titles and bibliographies of Lull's writings which deal with the AM generally or with its special applications to diverse problems or sciences. Also many of Lull's theological, npologetical and Anti-Averroistie writiags (Carreras y Artau, 300–320; Longpré,1096–1103, 1106–1108), as well as some of his mystical and poetical works, use the method of the AM.

7. My biographical account is based upon Carreras y Artnu, 237–256. There is little certainty in the data before en.1290. Lull was born some time in 1232–35. Sec also Sugraaycs de Franch. 24–50.

8. Vida, cap. 14.

9. See Longpré, 1090, and Carrcras y Artau, 285f.

10. Liber de fine, prol. Quoted by Carrcras y Artau, 244.

11. See Carrcras y Artau, 290.

12. Art de contemplació, cap. 12,=Probst, 104: “Membrar, entendre, amar vostres Honraments.” “Honrar vostros Honramcnts.”

13. Sec Carreras y Artau, 320f.; L. Elniher, “Neuere Übersctzungcn dos ‘Buches voin Liebendcn und vom Gelicbtcn’”, in Miscel-lània, 199–205; Sugranyes de Franch, 19.

14. Vida, capp. 15–19.

15. Vida, capp. 21–24. Sec Sugrauyes de Franch, 36–38.

16. Sec the book of Gottron, and Carreras y Artau, 324–326.

17. Vida, cap. 32.

18. Cant de Ramon. Quoted by Carrorns y Artau, 256.

19. See Carrcras y Artau, 247–252.

20. Vita, cap. 43.

21. See Altaner, B., “Rnymundus bulbs und der Sprachcnknnon dos Konzils von Vicuac”, Historischcs Jahrbach, LIII (Köln, 1933), 190–219Google Scholar, and “Die Durchführung des Vienner Konzilsbcschlusses …”, Zeitschrift für Kirchcayeschicltte, LII (Stuttgart, 1933), 226–236.

22. See Carrcrns y Artnu, 320, 326, 322,330, 298.

23. See the long list in Carreras y Artau, 299f., 308–316.

24. SeG. I, 1, title. Unless otherwise indicated, I am using the translation of A. C. Pcgis (book I) and Ch. O'Neil, J. (book IV), Saint Thomas Aquinas, On the Truth of the Catholic Faith, I and IV (Garden City, N. Y.: Hanover House, 1955 and 1957)Google Scholar.

25. ScG, II, 1. Aristotle, Metapli., I, 2 (982 a 18), and I, 1 (981 b 28), is quoted.

26. ScG, c. g., STh, I-II, q. 57, a. 2; q. 66. a.5; q. 68, a. 4; a. 5, ad 1; a. 7, reap.; II-II, q. 23, a. 2, ad 1; q. 45; Quacst. disp. de anima, a. 16, resp.; Quaest. disp. de potentia, q. 1, a. 4, resp.

27. SeG, c. g. STh, I, q. 39, a. 7, ad 2; Quaest. disp. de veritate, q. 7, a. 3, ad 3. Cf. STh, I, q. 34, a. I, ad 2.

28. ScG, I, 1. John 18:37 is quoted.

29. See the sentence which follows the quotation of John 18:37, given below, note 37.

30 . ScG, I, 2. Sap. Sal. 7:14 is quoted.

31. This is the logical subject of the entire first part of ScG, I, 2.

32. ScG, I, 2. Ecclesiasticus 14:22; Ps.103:24; Sap. Sal. 7:14; 6:21; 7:16 are quoted.

33. SeG. I, 2. For thc first half of this sentence, I have not used the translation of Pegis.

34 . “Manifestare veritatcm”: ScG, I, 3, title and beginning.

35. “Quidquid recipitur, recipitur per modum recipientis.” See Geyer, B., Die patristischc und scholastische Philosophie,= Friedrich Ueberwegs Gruszdriss der Geschichte der Philosophie, II, 11th ed. (Berlin, 1927, or later editions), 430.Google Scholar

36. ScG. I, 2.

37. “The Philosopher himself establishes that First Philosophy is the science of truth, not of any truth, but of that truth which is the origin of all truth, namely, which belongs to the first principle whereby all thiags are. The truth belonging to such a principle is, clearly, the source of all truth; for things have the sante disposition in truth as in being.” ScG, I, 1. Aristotle, Metaph., I,1 (993 b 30), is referred to.

38. This and the following quotations are from ScG, I, 3.

39. This is the formulation of ScG, I, 7.

40. “The sole way to overcome an adversary of divine truth is from the authority of Scripture—an authority divinely confirmed by miracles. For that which is above the human reason we believe only because God has revealed it. Nevertheless there are certain likely arguments that should be brought forth in order to make divine truth known. This should be done for the training and consolation of lation of the faithful, and not with any idea of refuting those who nre adversaries. For the very inadequacy of the arguments would rather strengthen them in their error, since they would imagine that our acceptance of the truth of faith was based on such weak arguments.” SeG, I, 9.

41. STh, I, q. 1, a. 8, ad 2; q. 2, a. 2, ad 1.

42. “All St. Thomas' analogies between God and the world are ultimately based on the relation of cause to effect.” Lyttkens, H., The Analogy between God and the Wprld (Uppsala-Wiesbaden, 1953), 244.Google Scholar

43. ScG, I, 4. In this chapter, Aquinas shows a good uuderstandiug of the diverse “human weaknesses.”

44. ScG, IV, 1.

45. See above, note 42, and below, note 46.

46. “Sccuudum congruentiam bominis.” “Primo igitur sic homini revelantur ut tamen non intelligantur, sed solum quasi audita credantur, quia intellectus hominis, sccundum hunc statum quo sensibilibus est conncxus, ad ca intuenda quac omnes proportiones sensus cxcedunt, omnino elevari non potest; scd, cum a sensibilium connexione fucrit liberatus, tune elcvabitur ad ca quac revclaatur intuenda.” ScG, IV, 1.

47. STh, Il-lI, q. 10, a. 8, resp.

48. Aquinas never applies “testificari” either to the work of the philosopher (apologist) or to that of the theologian. See STh, I, q. 79, a. 13; II-II, q. 13, a. 3; q. 124, a. 4; III, q. 55, a. 2; suppl., q. 77, a. 1.

49. Ia the unique chapter ScG., I, 6, Aquinas speaks of the expansion of the Christian faith in the terminology of the miraculous. A miracle, according to him, is a direct action of God as the first cause, without the use of intermediate (instrumental, natural) causes.

50. Quoted by Probst, 19.

51. STh, I-II, q. 28, a. 3; II-II, q. 175.

52. See above, note 12.

53. Ars (maagna) generalis ultima, IX, 63 (Strassburg ed., 1617, 454ff.), is of particular importance. See Keicher, 66f.

54. See Xirau, 147.

55. See Carreras y Artau, 345–368; T. Carreras y Artau, “Fonaments metafisics de Ia Filosofia lulliana”, in Miseclldnia, 446–466; Platzek, E. W., “Die Lullsche Kombinatorik”, Franziskanisehe Studies, XXXIV (Müuster, 1952), 32–60, 377–407Google Scholar. For the following account of the AM (in its ultimate form), see Carreras y Artau, 427–455.

56. Vida, cap. 26. See Keicher, 77f. 83f.

57. In the nine comerae (areas of application) of the nine relative principles, such concepts as “cause”, “quanity”, “time”, “sensual”, and “intellectual” appear. Thus the very explanation of the working of the relative principles makes the use of different subjects (God, angel, body, etc.) unavoidable. See Carreras y Artau, 431f., where Lull's own examples are used.

58. See Gottron, 56, 59; Vida, capp. 21–24.

59. See the book of Gottron; H Wieruszowski, “Ramon Lull et l'idde de la Cite de Dieu,” in Misel-lània, 403–426; Sugranyes de Frauch, 80–89.

60. E. g., STh, II-II, q. 18, a. 8.

61. The longing for martyrdom appears in Lull's earliest works, particularly in the Libre de contemplació (see Carreras y Artau, 256). According to the Vita, capp. 5–8, Lull's conversion resulted in the following three resolutions: to sacrifice his life in the conversion of the Saraceas, to work for the erection of language studies, and to write a “better book” (“hooks” in the Catalonian recension) against the errors of the infidels. See also Gottron, 49.

62. See Gilson, E., The Philosophy of St. Boaaventure, Engl. transl. (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1938), 29ff.Google Scholar

63. See above, notes 54 and 55, and below, notes 64 and 66.

64. See Algaida, S. ab, “Christologia Lullinna”, Collect anea Franciseaaa, I (Assisi, 1931), 145–183Google Scholar. At the end of hi account of Lull's doctrine of incarnation, Carreras y Artau (505–507) says: “Notemos que el vigor y la originalidad de estos argumentos provicnc en buena parte de que son una aplicacidn dc Ia doctrina de las dignidadcs divines.”

65. Lull coined new words for this power, as “unissimarc”, for the power of the “unissimum”, resulting in “unissimatum.”

66. “Demonstratio per aequiparantian. See Keichcr, 69, 76ff.; Carreras y Artau, 457–462. Congruence in the realm of absolutes is identical with highest necessity, and in this way the doctrines of the Christian faith can be proved more certainly than by going from effect to cause or from cause to effect. This understanding of “congruence” or ”appropriateaess' is very different from that of Aquinas!

67. Ed. by Bender, H. G., in Opera Latiaa, VIII (Palma de Mallorca, 1953/1954), 97–124Google Scholar, identical with Studia Mon, ographica et Receasiones, IX/X, 59–86. Our quotation is in dist. 3, nr. 1, p. 109 p/71.

68. A name which Lull applied to himself. It is used as the title of an attractive little biography by E A. Peers (London: S. C. M. Press Ltd., 1946).