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A Man Loses His Faith

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Hayden Ramsay
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Abstract

‘Losing one's faith’ usually refers to ceasing to believe in God and in doctrines. But what changes—and losses—are experienced in the moral life when there is loss of faith? With reference to Aquinas, changes in moral understanding related to the loss of faith are discussed. Next, changes in the life of virtue and so in moral knowledge are examined, and finally changes in the inner moral life—particularly, the loss of moral certainty. The paper suggests that when they experience loss of faith Christian societies can suffer the same sorts of moral losses as Christian individuals. Such loss has inevitable effects upon identity, happiness and capacity to communicate with others.

Type
Original Articles
Information
New Blackfriars , Volume 91 , Issue 1035 , September 2010 , pp. 511 - 527
Copyright
Copyright © The author 2010. Journal compilation © The Dominican Council.

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References

1 See Matthew 5: 3–10.

2 Aquinas, Thomas St, Summa Theologiae, (New York: Benziger Brothers, 1947), 1, 79, 8Google Scholar.

3 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 90, 3.

4 Grisez, Germain ‘The First Principle of Practical Reason: A Commentary on the Summa Theologiae, 1–2, Question 94, Article 2’ in Natural Law Forum 10, 1965, 168–201Google Scholar.

5 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 94, 2.

6 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 1, 4.

7 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 1, 5.

8 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 2, 8.

9 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 4, 1–8.

10 Aquinas Summa, 2–2, 1, 1.

11 Here, consider Rahner on the ‘anonymous Christian’: the one who believes and lives much of the Gospel without realising it. See Rahner, Karl Theological Investigations Vol. 14, trans. Bourke, David (London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1976), 283Google Scholar.

12 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 5, 5.

13 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 91, 1.

14 The habit of understanding the most basic practical principles, synderesis, is natural (Summa 1, 79, 12) and inextinguishable (De Veritate 16).

15 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 91, 4; 99, 2 ad 2.

16 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 100, 3.

17 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 100, 8

18 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 106, 1.

19 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 107, 1 ad 2.

20 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 107, 2.

21 Leviticus, 19: 18.

22 John, 15: 13.

23 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 109, 5.

24 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 61, 1–2.

25 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 59, 2.

26 Aquinas Summa, 2–2, 58.

27 Aquinas Summa, 2–2, 123.

28 Aquinas Summa, 2–2, 141.

29 Aquinas Summa, 2–2, 47, 4.

30 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 63, 4.

31 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 62, 3.

32 Aquinas Summa, 2–2, 6, 1.

33 Aquinas Summa, 2–2, 17, 7.

34 Aquinas Summa, 2–2, 23, 1–5.

35 Deus Caritas Est Encyclical Letter of Benedict, Pope XVI (Sydney: St Paul's Publications, 2006), 17Google Scholar.

36 Deus Caritas Est, 18.

37 Deus Caritas Est, 7.

38 1 Corinthians 13: 8–13.

39 Aquinas Summa, 1–2, 65, 3–4.

40 Aquinas, Thomas ‘The Two Precepts of Charity’ in The Commandments of God, trans. Shapcote, Laurence OP (London: Burns, Oates and Washbourne, 1937), 3Google Scholar.

41 Fides et Ratio Encyclical Letter of Paul, Pope John II (Sydney: St Paul's Publications, 1998), 73Google Scholar.