A Proof of the Existence of God According to Fr. Pacificus Borgmann, O. F. M.

A PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD ACCORDING TO FR. PACIFICUS BORGMANN, O. F. M.* Fr. Ph ilo th eus B o eh n er, O. F. M. Though the problem of the existence of God is in the very center of every Christian philosophy, little has been contributed by neo-scholastics to­ ward a more scientific and methodical solution of the problem, at least not on this continent. A spirit of complacency and saturation seems to immobolize their forces even in the midst of powerful counterattacks against their position. For most of them, St. Thomas seems to have said the final word, and his quinqué viae of proofs for the existence of God need (according to many) only correct interpretation, and by no means are to be subjected to criticism, much less to denial either in part or in toto. We are witnessing the strange fact that Thomists who dare to criticize St. Thomas are themselves open to an unthomistic criticism by their brethren. But unfortunately the staunch resistance of the uncritical thomists appears to be more hopeless than ever. For, since modern sciences have advanced far beyond the primitive standards of medieval science, and since modern methodology and epistemology have left far behind them the medieval logic and methodology, a reconciliation between modern thought and medieval metaphysics will only be achieved if the attempt is undertaken in the spirit of St. Thomas and the *Note: The following paper was not intended for publication. Upon request, it is herewith submitted in substantially the same form as it was read at the Educational Conference. Its aim is to draw attention to the work done by Fr. Pacificus Borgmann, O. F. M., in the field of Metaphysics, not to give an exhaustive and historically correct exposition of his ideas. Hence no footnotes are added. The substance of this paper is taken from the following articles of Fr. Pacificus Borgmann: "Gegenstand, Erfahrungsgrundlage und Methode der Metaphysik. Eine wissen­ schaftstheoretische Auseinandersetzung mit August Messer,” in Franziskanische Studien 21 (1934), 8-103; 125-150. Cf. Messer’s answer and that of Fr. Pacificus, 1. c. 274-276: "Seiender oder werdender Gott? Substanzialität oder Aktualität des Urseienden?” in Theologische Gegenwartsfragen (herausgeg. von Dr. P. Erhard Schlund, O. F. M., Regensburg 1940, J. Habbel), pp. 63-81. Other articles, besides minor contributions to the "Berichte der Lektoren konferenz der deutschen Franziskaner,” are: "Kausaler oder Substanzialer Gottesbeweis?” in Zeitschrift für den katholischen Religionsunterricht an höheren Lehranstalten 14 (1937), 181-195. "Die Kluft zwischen dem mittelalterlichen und modernen Weltbild” in Franzisk. Stud. 22 (1935), 249-262. "Der unvollendete Zustand der aristotelisch-scholastischen Metaphysik,” in Franzisk. Stud. 23 (1936), 404-425. "Die Unmöglichkeit des Regressus in infinitum in jeder wesensnotwendigen Stufenordnung,” in Franzisk. Stud. 25 (1938), 1-27. "Die Stellungnahme des Duns Skotus zum aristotelisch-thomistischen Bewe­ gungsgesetz: Quidquid movetur, ab alio movetur,” in Wissenschaft und Weisheit 4 (1937) 36-40 ( a report). "Analogía entis,” in Wissenschaft und Weisheit 4 (1937), 270-273 (a report). 374 EXISTENCE OF GOD ACCORDING TO BORGMANN 375 great Scholastics — namely, by acknowledging progress wherever it is found and abandoning time-honored doctrines whenever they do not stand the test of a most refined critique. Only in this spirit can a new and truly scholastic philosophy arise from the ashes of the past. First among the few modern Scholastics who have, in the spirit of St. Thomas, attacked the old problem, ranks Fr. Pacificus Borgmann, O. F. M. This modern and true Scholastic has spent more than two decades in intensive study devoted to this problem and has developed a system of true meta­ physics as Theologic or natural theology, under the guidance of Scotus and Ockham and with the advantages of modern science and logic, with which he is well acquainted. Unfortunately Fr. Pacificus has never published this metaphysics in a systematic work; nevertheless, several articles published by him in his favored field enable us to draw at least the general outlines of his system and especially of its central problem, the existence of God. Since I have been his colleague for several years and have had many occasions to discuss, or rather to listen to, his...