Thomas Aquinas: An Evangelical Appraisal

por Norman Geisler

Editorial:

Wipf and Stock

, 2003

Norman L. Geisler reintroduces evangelicals to the man they "forgot,” clarifying Aquinas' teachings about the nature of God, Scripture, faith, reason, and other key issues of apologetics and ethics. Aquinas, the author argues, "is a more articulate defender of the faith than anyone in our midst.”

Roman Catholic Aquinas scholar Robert N. Campbell observes that Geisler "makes a good case for his message that the writings of Aquinas can be of great value to today's Protestant and Roman Catholic philosophers and theologians.”

"The book gives an understandable presentation of many of Aquinas' major contributions and shows how they are relevant, at times even crucial, to contemporary discussion,” adds Winfried Corduan of Taylor University. "In the process, Geisler strikes a credible blow against the current unfounded prejudice toward St. Thomas in evangelical thought.”

Contents

Top Highlights

“As for myself, I gladly confess that the highest compliment that could be paid to me as a Christian philosopher, apologist, and theologian is to call me ‘Thomistic.’ This, of course, does not mean I accept everything Aquinas wrote naively and uncritically. It does mean that I believe he was one of the greatest systematic minds the Christian church has ever had, and that I can see a lot farther standing on his shoulders than by attacking him in the back. No, I do not agree with everything he ever wrote. On the other hand, neither do I agree with everything I ever wrote.” (Page 14)

“Aquinas presents much of his analysis in terms of the four causes⁸⁸ (efficient, material, formal, and final) as did Albert and Bonaventure.” (Page 55)

“First, Aquinas strongly stresses that the truths of the Christian faith are above reason” (Page 20)

“Even worse, while criticizing Aquinas for applying finite concepts to God in less than a univocal way, there is scarcely an evangelical thinker who does not do the same thing. Who among us mortals has an infinite concept of the infinite God? Who would claim to have an unlimited knowledge of the Unlimited?¹⁷ But this is precisely what Aquinas means when he says that terms taken from our finite experience—which is the only kind of experience we finite beings have—cannot be applied to God in a univocal way.” (Page 16)

“These men have taken Thomistic positions in natural theology, but even so they are usually careful not to identify themselves as Thomists. John H. Gerstner, Stuart Hackett, R. C. Sproul, and Arvin Vos¹³ are noteworthy exceptions. There are also a few closet Thomists who borrow the arguments of Aquinas without frankly acknowledging their allegiance to him.” (Page 14)

Endorsements

This is 'must reading' for every thinking Christian. I am thrilled by this careful analysis of St. Thomas.

—R. C. Sproul