Review Thomas Aquinas’s discussion on the nature of sacra doctrina relating it to the pre-requisite for doing theology according to Gregory Nazianzen.

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Review Thomas Aquinas’s discussion on the nature of sacra doctrina relating it to the pre-requisite for doing theology according to Gregory Nazianzen.
Theology for Aquinas is sacred doctrine. It is the study of truth about God. It focuses on thos things that are divinely revealed, with God as its subject matter. Aquinas posits that since everything actual is knowable, then God who is pure act is supremely knowable. Hence, the truth about God is known through the light of Faith that illumines the human intellect, exposing and enabling it to know who God is. This is the light of faith which is the foundation of theology.
But since the knower knows according to his/her nature, the infinite God cannot be perfectly known by the finite. God is infinitely knowable but not infinitely known, hence we cannot know everything about God. Although we cannot see god, we know God from his effects, that is, the creatures. Hence, our knowledge of God is derived from creatures. Since we know God from creatures which our imperfect, therefore our speech about God is imperfect. Also our speech about god will be similar to the way we speak about creatures.
The names we apply to creatures we apply to God, not univocally or equivocally, but analogically. Analogy is when a term applies to different subjects according to the meaning that is partly the same and partly different. The names we give to God signify the divine substance (what is signified) but in an imperfect manner (mode of signification). Just as creatures represents God imperfectly, thus the mode of signification do not strictly apply to God.
Consequently, Aquinas maintains that our speech about God is imperfect but valid. Hence the name ‘HE WHO IS’ is the most proper name for God since it contains great attributes of God and signifies existence which God properly is. The name applies to God for three reasons:
a.       It has no form
b.      It is universal
c.       It is signified in the present.
Relationship between Thomas and Nazienzen’s views
Gregory posits that theology is to philosophise about God. Philosophising entails thinking, talking and deliberating about God. How can one philosophize about God? Which words can one use?
Aquinas presents the basic for philosophizing about God when he posits that we know God by his effects, that is, the creatures. Hence our speech about God will be similar to that of creatures. The names we apply to creatures, we also apply to God analogically.
Therefore, in philosophizing about God, we speak about God analogically. Hence, our speech about God, though imperfect, is valid.

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