The Voluntary Action of the Earthly Christ and the Necessity of the Beatific Vision

The Thomist 69 (2005): 497-534 THE VOLUNTARY ACTION OF THE EARTHLY CHRIST AND THE NECESSITY OF THE BEATIFIC VISION THO:tviAS JOSEPH WHITE Dominican House of Studies Washington, D.C. THAT CHRIST in his earthly existence possessed the beatific vision (or immediate knowledge of God) is a traditional affirmation of Christian theology.1 However, this Christological theory is increasingly questioned by theologians deeply committed to the Catholic tradition, precisely on the grounds that they believe the theory in fact endangers more essential, traditional doctrines of Catholic belief. The latter include the patristic affirmations of the complete reality of Christ's historical human nature and the unity of subject in Christ's human actions. In this essay, I would like to present briefly two common objections against the classical theory, and offer a response inspired by the Thomistic tradition. Both Jean Galot and Thomas Weinandy have argued that the doctrine of the beatific vision in the earthly life of Christ compromises the reality of the humanity 1 Medieval authors are mentioned below. For the recent Magisterium, see especially Pius XII, Mystici Corporis (DS 3812); The Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 473; and John Paul II, Novo Millennia Ineunte, nn. 25-27. For recent Thomistic theological arguments in favor of the traditional teaching, see Romanus Cessario, "Incarnate Wisdom and the Immediacy of Christ's Salvific Knowledge," inProblemi teologici alla luce dell'Aquinate, Studi Tomistici 44:5 (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1991): 334-40; Jean Miguel Garrigues, "La conscience de soi telle qu'elle etait exercee par le Fils de Dieu fait homme," Nova et Vetera (French Edition) 79, n. 1 (2004): 39-51; Matthew Levering, Christ's Fulfillment of Torah and Temple: Salvation According to Thomas Aquinas (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2002): 32-33; 39; 59-63; 73-7'5; Guy Mansini, "Understanding St. Thomas on Christ's Immediate Knowledge of God," The Thomist 59 (1995): 91-124. 497 498 THOMAS JOSEPH WHITE of Jesus, on the one hand, and the unity of his filial personhood, on the other. Having presented these claims, I will argue (against this perspective) that the affirmation of the beatific vision of the historical Christ was and is essential for maintaining the unity of his person in and through the duality of his natures, and most particularly in safeguarding the unity of his personal agency in and through the duality of his two wills (human and divine). This is not an argument Aquinas makes explicitly.2 However, it is a conclusion that can be derived from his Christological principles. I will show this by referring to the studies of Herman Diepen, Jacques Maritain, and more recently Jean Miguel Garrigues. They argue that in order for the created will of Jesus to be the instrument of his transcendent person, it must have a filial mode of being: it is expressive of the person who directs the human action of Christ, the Incarnate Son of God. However, so that the exercise of the human will of Christ might be specified by the directives of his transcendent (divine) personhood and will, a higher knowledge concerning the divine will of the Son of God is necessary. This ultimately requires not only an "infused science" but also immediate knowledge of God present in the soul of Christ in and through all of his human actions. Having appropriated arguments from these thinkers on these points I will conclude (with reference to Galot and Weinandy) that if the human action of Jesus is to be the personal action of the Son of God, it must be immediately subject to the activity of the divine will which it expresses. This requires that the human intellect of Jesus possess the vision of God. Finally, I will show that only with this classical analysis of Christ's human vision of God can one understand the mystery of Christ's obedience and prayer without falling into either a confusion of the natures or a denial of the unity of his person. I will examine briefly Aquinas's treatment of both the obedience and the prayer of Christ as human manifestations of his divine 2 Aquinas's explicit arguments for the beatific vision...