How does Aquinas' account of Faith as "an intellectual assent" reconcile the juxtaposition between Reason and Faith ? Discuss.
Thomas Aquinas, a scholastic philosopher, sought to reconcile the perceived tension between Reason and Faith by defining faith as "an intellectual assent" (assensus fidei) to truths revealed by God. This position aimed to show that faith is not irrational but a rational act, complementing, not contradicting, reason.
For Aquinas:
Reason's Role: Reason can establish certain truths about God (e.g., His existence through proofs like the cosmological argument). These are "preambles of faith."
Faith's Role: Faith assents to truths that are beyond reason's full comprehension (e.g., the Trinity, Incarnation). These are "mysteries of faith."
The reconciliation lies in God as the source of both truth. Since God is perfectly rational and omnipotent, His natural revelation (accessible via reason) and supernatural revelation (accessible via faith) cannot contradict. If a conflict appears, it indicates either flawed reasoning or misinterpretation of revelation. Faith, for Aquinas, is a voluntary act of intellect, guided by the will, assenting to truths deemed credible due to divine authority. It completes reason by providing access to truths reason cannot discover alone, without being irrational.
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