“Christianity Presupposes a Harmony Between God and Human Reason”
March 23, 2011
“Christianity presupposes a harmony between God and human reason.” These were the words of Fr. Charles Morerod OP, the Rector of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome (Angelicum) during a recent Holy See press conference to present a newly-published “Decree on the Reform of Ecclesiastical Studies of Philosophy”.
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| Fr. Charles Morerod OP in Piazza San Pietro |
Such a proposal, believe it or not, comes as a surprise to many people when this is preached. This hallmark of authentic Philosophy, Theology and Dominican Preaching is best articulated and taught by the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas. The intellectual formation of our friars at the Dominican House of Studies (and all Dominican institutions) is of great importance, because it is our charge to propose to the world the “God of Faith and Reason”! And such a proposal of who and what God is, and how He draws us to Himself, is not just some intellectual exercise, but one to which we try to bear witness each day. The Order of Preachers does this in a particular way (which Aquinas called “Apostolic”) by Prayer, Study, Preaching and the Common Life.
“With the human ability to think under fire from relativism, priests and theologians need to study more philosophy.” Our Holy Father, Benedict XVI approved the new decree on January 28, 2011 (the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas) in order to highlight the importance of the Angelic Doctor in the study of Philosophy and Theology.
This new decree will most likely have some effect on the intellectual formation of our friars at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC.
