Philosophy the Handmaid of Theology · §54 · Robert Baron

That theology is like all the Aristotelian habits, and especially like prudence

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Article XXVII. That theology resembles every Aristotelian intellectual habit — and prudence most of all.

1. Taken broadly, theology is compared to Aristotle's five intellectual habits (understanding, science, wisdom, art, prudence). The point is analogy of office in theology's own order, not identity with those habits.

2. The closest likeness is prudence. Prudence steers human action toward an end; theology steers mind and life toward the supernatural end — God's glory and eternal salvation — by the norms God has revealed.

Latin

ART. XXVII. Theologiam esse similem omnibus habitibus Aristotelicis; praecipue vero prudentiae. 1. Theologia (lato modo) assimilatur habitibus intellectualibus Aristotelis: intelligentiae, scientiae, sapientiae, arti, prudentiae — non quod sit eadem cum illis, sed quod analogice eorum munera in suo ordine impleat. 2. Praecipue assimilatur prudentiae: quia sicut prudentia dirigit actiones humanas ad finem, ita Theologia dirigit intellectum & vitam ad finem supernaturalem — DEI gloriam & salutem aeternam — secundum normas a DEO revelatas.

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About this text

Robert Baron, Philosophia theologiae ancillans (Philosophy in Service to Theology): exercises on being and essence, on the origin of the soul and the spread of sin, and on faith, science, and opinion, rendered from the 1658 Latin.

Dateby 1621 AD (first printed at St Andrews, 1621; this text is from the corrected Oxford reprint of 1658; Reformed)

English follows 1658 Oxford Latin. Prima Art. I-XII from IA PDF leaves ~15-53. Secunda Art. I-XV from PDF leaves 56-107 / printed pp.54-105 (tess+pdftotext+DjVu). No modern English copied. The third exercise, on faith, science, and opinion, is included.

Reference

Wing B887. IA bim_early-english-books-1641-1700_philosophia-theologi-an_baron-robert_1658. Exercitatio Prima Art. I-XII; Exercitatio Secunda Art. I-XV (De origine animae & propagatione peccati). Exercitatio Tertia Art. I-XXX is included.

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