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De Moor I:24: Habitual Revealed Theology

Writer's picture: Dr. DildayDr. Dilday

This Revealed Theology is distinguished according to the various aspects of the same.  For, either it is in a man habitually, according to the manner of a habit residing in the man as Theologian and his intellect, which is also called Practical and concretive and subjective:  or it is systematic, just as it is contained in Systems, according to the manner of any discipline arranged in its own, prescribed and fixed method, which also is called Doctrinal and abstract and objective.


Now, that Habit of Practical Theology is Supernatural, rather than natural, because it is acquired, 1.  from a revealed principium; not from the natural manifestation of God through the Creatures, but from the special and gracious Revelation through the Word.  2.  Human reason is not sufficient to learn this Theology, if the knowledge of it is going to be saving; but that habit is acquired from the teacher, the Holy Spirit, although a man’s own industry is involved.


Aristotle
Aristotle

But now the problematic Question is moved, whether the Genus of this Revealed Theology is able to be taken from the Intellectual Habits enumerated by Aristotle?  It is well known that Aristotle, in his Ethics, book VI, chapter III, posits five intellectual Habits, which he sets forth in chapters IV-VII:  now, those are either more theoretical, like Intelligence, Science, Wisdom:  or more practical, and the latter either active, under which are comprehended the practical disciplines, and is called Prudence; or factive,[1] under which are contained Arts.  But Philosophers of the more recent age observe, 1.  that Intelligence, as it denotes the knowledge of first principles implanted in the mind, is not able to be referred unto acquired habits; 2.  that there is no Science that does not have at one and the same time its own principia and conclusions; 3.  that Wisdom, although it be called a more sublime degree of Science and Intelligence, does not constitute a diverse Habit, for degrees do not change the species.  And therefore they enumerate a threefold intellectual habit, according to the threefold object, concerning which, so that a man might direct his actions well, he needs a certain facility, that is, theoretical, practical, effective:  and they think that concerning the first a man is helped by the habit of Science, concerning the second by the habit of Prudence, concerning the third by the habit of Art.  But this in passing.


Now, as far as those Aristotelian Habits are concerned, we say that none of them is able to constitute the Genus of habitual Theology, for, 1.  a genus and its species are homogeneous among themselves:  but the Aristotelian habits are natural, while revealed Theology is supernatural.  2.  A genus ought not to be narrower than its species:  but the Aristotelian habits, taken separately, are narrower than Theology; therefore, they are not its Genus.  Of course, all those habits are simple, either theoretical, or practical:  but Theology is a habit composed of the theoretical and practical.


With regard to species, Revealed Theology is not properly Intelligence, or a knowledge of Principia, to which Principia we spontaneously give assent without demonstration, for, 1.  Theology is a knowledge both of principia, and of conclusions, that is, equally of the Word itself and of the doctrines that are thence derived, 2 Timothy 3:16; Acts 26:22.  2.  Intelligence is conversant about principia known by nature and by their own clear light, Theology about principia revealed by the Word of God.

It is not properly Science, which is said to be a knowledge of Conclusions, to which we give assent by demonstration:  1.  For Theology does not depend upon the evidence of reason, but upon divine testimony and the authority of the one revealing.  Hence, in Theology, we do not so much know by demonstration, but we believe, or learn by faith, Hebrews 11:3.  2.  Theology does not rest in the understanding, but directs it unto practice.


Now, to Aristotle Wisdom is the knowledge of principia and conclusions at the same time:  but, if Theology is neither Intelligence or the knowledge of principia, nor Science or the knowledge of conclusions; then neither is it Wisdom or the knowledge of both.



It is not Prudence, which is conversant with τὰ πρακτικὰ, things practical, of which there is no other end besides εὑπραγίαν/success:  for Theology is a habit, not only of things to be done, but also of things to be believed, John 20:31; and it direct actions spiritual, not civil.


And, finally, it is not properly Art, which is conversant with ποιητὰ, things made, things to be produced, which are produced outside of the one producing on account of some end, and beyond εὑπραγίαν/ success have another, further end, by which very thing ποίησις/ production/fabrication is distinguished from πράξει/practice.  But, 1.  Theology, as already mentioned, also involves things to be believed.  2.  Art is said to be of those things that are terminated in some work outside of the producer:  but Theology is of those things that also are terminated in the producer himself; in such a way that we know, meditate, believe, exult, hope, Romans 5; 8.  Therefore, etc.


At the same time, when these words are not taken strictly, Theology is able to be said to embrace in itself all these habits eminently; and it hardly deserves to be called into controversy whether the Genus of Science on account of certitude, or of Wisdom on account of sublimity, or Prudence on account of the directing of behavior, ought rather to be attributed to that.  For those words always ought to be taken synecdochically, in such a way that one also embraces the other in itself.  But in this way Intelligence also is agreeable to Theology on account of its most eminent knowledge of first principles, namely, of being, which is God, and of knowing, which is the Word of God:  and also Art, to the extent that it is edifying to the Church.  Thus, for example, Intelligence occurs in Psalm 119:27, 34, when the Psalmist prays  הֲבִינֵנִי, make me to understand;[2] it is called בִּינָה/Intelligence and חָכְמָה/Wisdom in Proverbs 1:2.[3]  Science is called דַּעַת in Psalm 119:66,[4] γνῶσις in 2 Peter 3:18;[5] Wisdom is called σοφία in 1 Corinthians 2:6, 7;[6] James 3:17.[7]  Prudence, מְזִמָּה, is found together with Science, Wisdom, and Intelligence, תְּבוּנָה, in Proverbs 2:10, 11,[8] and elsewhere.  Just as also Theology is considered Art, when the Church is found after the likeness of a work or edifice, to be perfected more and more through Theology, which also has its own doctrines more or less foundational, Ephesians 2:20, 21; 1 Corinthians 3:11, 12; and when from that Theology we are compelled to learn the most salubrious Art of furnishing good works, Titus 3:8.


[1] That is, making or creating.

[2] Psalm 119:27, 34:  “Make me to understand (הֲבִינֵנִי) the way of thy precepts:  so shall I talk of thy wondrous works….  Give me understanding (הֲבִינֵנִי), and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.”

[3] Proverbs 1:2:  “To know wisdom (חָכְמָה) and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding (בִינָה)…”

[4] Psalm 119:66:  “Teach me good judgment and knowledge (וָדַעַת):  for I have believed thy commandments.”

[5] 2 Peter 3:18a:  “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge (γνώσει) of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

[6] 1 Corinthians 2:6, 7:  “Howbeit we speak wisdom (σοφίαν) among them that are perfect:  yet not the wisdom (σοφίαν) of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:  But we speak the wisdom (σοφίαν) of God in a mystery, even the hidden, which God ordained before the world unto our glory…”

[7] James 3:17a:  “But the wisdom (ἡ—σοφία) that is from above is first pure…”

[8] Proverbs 2:10, 11:  “When wisdom (חָכְמָה) entereth into thine heart, and knowledge (וְדַעַת) is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion (מְזִמָּה) shall preserve thee, understanding (תְּבוּנָה) shall keep thee…”

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Dr. Steven Dilday holds a BA in Religion and Philosophy from Campbell University, a Master of Arts in Religion from Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia), and both a Master of Divinity and a  Ph.D. in Puritan History and Literature from Whitefield Theological Seminary.  He is also the translator of Matthew Poole's Synopsis of Biblical Interpreters and Bernardinus De Moor’s Didactico-Elenctic Theology.

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