Encyclical on August 4, 1879, by Leo XIII, on the restoration of Christian philosophy and on the permanent value of Sto. Thomas Aquinas in the Church.
Pedro Chico González, Dictionary of Catechesis and Religious Pedagogy, Editorial Bruño, Lima, Peru 2006
Source: Dictionary of Catechesis and Religious Pedagogy
Two important Church documents begin with the same words and therefore bear the title, Aeterni Patris. The first is Pius IX’s letter convening Vatican I on June 29, 1868 1. It deals with the pope’s role as protector of faith and morals and of the errors of the time.
The second is the encyclical of Leo XIII (August 4, 1879) aimed at recovering the scholastic philosophy and, especially, that of Saint Thomas Aquinas 2. Thomism was not dead at the end of the 19th century; in fact, it can be said that what Pope Leo was doing was giving official approval to an already existing movement 3. The encyclical consists of four main parts: the importance of philosophy in establishing the rational bases of revelation and in the endowment from an organic and scientific character to theology; philosophy is not opposed to divine revelation, but at the same time maintains its autonomy and dignity; history shows that philosophy has been at the service of faith; the philosophy of Saint Thomas as an antidote against contemporary errors and encouragement for cultural progress. The centenary of the encyclical gave rise to the publication of numerous studies 4.
The choice of Saint Thomas as the privileged teacher of the Church was reiterated in the Code of Canon Law of 1917 (589 § 1). Vatican II was the first council to have been recommended globally by a specific theologian: “learn the students (of the seminaries) to delve into them (the mysteries) and discover their connection, through speculation, under the teaching of Saint Thomas ” (OT 16). The new Code affirms that Saint Thomas is especially (praesertim) the teacher in theological studies (CCC 252 § 3). These recent affirmations point to the fact affirmed by Benedict XV: “The Church has made the doctrine of Saint Thomas particularly her own” 5, a sentiment that was reiterated by Paul VI 6.
NOTES: 1 Acta Pü IX 4, 412-423; cf A. ZAMBARBIERI, The Councils of the Vatican, San Pablo, Madrid 1996, 55ff. – 2 Acta Leonis XIII 1 (1878-1879) 255-285; full text in Spanish: ACCIí“N CATí“LICA ESPAí’OLA, Collection of encyclicals and pontifical documents 1, Junta Nacional, Madrid 1967, 912-926; extracts: DENZINGER-HÜNERMANN, 3135-3140. – 3 O. Kí“LER, The encyclical “Aeterni Patris”, in H. JEDIN (dir.), Manual de historia de la Iglesia VIII, Herder, Barcelona 1978, 437-443; Neotomism, neoscholasticism and the “new philosophers”, in H. JEDIN, oc, 443-452; M. ANDRES (ed.), History of Spanish theology II, BAC, Madrid 1987, 553-575; T. URDí NOZ, The origins of neo-Thomism in Spain, RET 34 (1974) 403-426; E. VILANOVA, León XIII and neotomism, in History of Christian theology III, Herder, Barcelona 1992, 585605; D. COMPOSTA, L’enciclica Aeterni Patris di Leone XIII e il suo significato storico, Euntes docete 33 (1980) 299-328. – 4 Atti del VIII Congresso Tomistico Internazionale, 3 vols., Studi tomistici, 10-12, Vatican City 1981; A. BANDERA, Centenary of the Encyclical Aeterni Patris of Leo XIII, Thomistic Science 108 (1981) 575-583; A. HUERGA, The reception of the “Aeterni Patris” in Spain, Scripta theologica 9 (1979) 535-562; G. BORTOLASo, II significato dell’enciclica Aeterni Patris, Doctor Communis 33 (1980) 271-276; T. MCGUCKIN, A Century of Pontifical Thomism, N Blackfr 72 (1991) 377-384; G. PERINI, Aeterni Patris, 1879-1979, Divus ]lomas 82 (1979) 3-18. – 5 Encyclical Fausto appetente die: AAS 13 (1921) 332. – 6 Epist. Lumen ecclesiae to the Master General of the Dominicans: AAS 66 (1974) 673-702; R. SPIAZZA, The Letter of Pope Paul VI on the Seventh Centenary of the Death of Saint Tommaso d’Aquino, Divinitas 19 (1975) 5-15; La scelta di San Tommaso da part della Chiesa, Doctor Communis 34 (1981) 3-10; G. PERINI, Dall’Aeterni Patris al Vatican Council II: Le directive del Magisterio sulla dottrina di San Tommaso, Scripta theologica 2 (1979) 619-658.
DecEC
Christopher O´Donell – Salvador Pié-Ninot, Dictionary of Ecclesiology, San Pablo, Madrid 1987
Source: Dictionary of Ecclesiology
Encyclical Letter of Pope Leo XIII (issued August 4, 1879); it should not be confused with the apostolic letter of the same title written by Pius IX. Its purpose was to revive the scholastic philosophy according to the mind of Sto. Thomas Aquinas. It begins with the consideration that the church, though officially a teacher only of revealed truth, has always been interested in the cultivation of all branches of human knowledge, especially philosophy, on which the correct cultivation of other sciences largely depends. But the pope declares that the present condition of thought obliges him to do something for the study of true philosophy, because many present evils are due to false philosophy, insofar as man is naturally guided by reason and therefore there where reason leads, the will easily goes.
The encyclical then shows how rational philosophy prepares the reasons for credibility in matters of faith and explains and vindicates revealed truths. But the truth discovered by reason cannot contradict the truth revealed by God and hence the search for knowledge of natural philosophy can use its own method, principles and arguments but not so much as to deny the authority of divine revelation.
Then the encyclical shows, with quotes from the Fathers of the Church, what reason, aided by revelation, can do for the progress of human knowledge. In the Middle Ages, the scholastics united in a harmonious whole, with a system of philosophy, the Christian wisdom of the Fathers. Since it was the work of the scholastic theologians, according to the encyclical, to unite human and divine science, their theology would never have succeeded, as it did, if their philosophy had not been a complete system. Leo XIII highlights that Sto. Thomas, as prince of the scholastic theologians and philosophers, as evidenced by the recognition of the universities, the popes, the general councils, and even outside the Church, one of which presumed that if the works of Sto. Thomas did not exist he would fight against the church and defeat it.
Since the Reformation, the fight against scholasticism has been relentless. The papal encyclical points out how some have abandoned it, but shows what it can help in the quest for metaphysical and social science. He insists that Sto. Thomas based his reasons and arguments on experiments; In the course of the centuries that have passed since his time, experiments have been discovering facts and secrets of nature, however the writings of Sto. Thomas testify that this experimental spirit was as strong in him as it is in us. Hence the call of the pope to the bishops of the Christian world to cooperate in the restoration and dissemination of the wisdom (sapientia) of Sto. Thomas y repeats sapientiam Sancti Thomae dicimus, because, as he explains, he does not claim to revive the excessive subtleties of some scholastics or the opinions that subsequent research has revealed. The purpose of Leo XIII is that the philosophy of Sto. Thomas thus revives his investigative spirit but without having to accept every opinion and argument found in the works of the scholastics.
It is worth bearing in mind that Leo XIII, following the encyclical, addressed a letter to Cardinal Luca (Oct. 15, 1879) in which, in addition to ordering that the philosophy of Sto. Thomas taught himself in the Roman schools, founded the “Accademia di San Tommaso”, and made provision for a new edition of the saint’s works. The academy did much to inaugurate this movement and a Collegium of Dominican Fathers began to work on the (Leonine) edition of the works.
Acta Leonis XIII, 283-285 (1879); WYNNE; Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII, 34-37 (tr., New York, 1903),
M. O’RIORDAN.
Translated by Pedro Royo.
Source: Catholic Encyclopedia