De Gratia by Peter Lumbreras, O. P. (review)

BOOK REVIEWS ~61 some, like Saint Francis of Assisi, whose lives cannot be imitated literally by all Christians but can be followed to some degree by all; and some, like Saint Louis, who can be emulated, especially by those living in the world. In this saintly wisdom is the key to the life and thought of Leon Bloy. We are not all called to take up his way of life literally; many of us have been habituated to think in scholastic and not in "absolute" terms. We can all be inspired by him as a seer and as a personality absolutely dedicated to Christ. In one's more mature as well as one's youthful years, Bloy is able, as few others can, to inspire one to be more a pilgrim and more in love with God. Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. DoNALD A. GALLAGHER. De Gratia. Praelectiones Scholasticae in Secundam Partem D. Thomae. By PETER LuMBRERAs, 0. P. Rome: Editiones Arnodo, 1947. Pp. 191, with index. In this small volume, the reverend author has given us his notes on the tract " De Gratia," which were evidently written to assist those who attend his lectures at the Pontifical Dominican College, the " Angelicum." Many learned tomes of commentary have been written on this part of the Summa (1-11, qq. 109-114), and to treat the subject adequately, as well as briefly relate the many conflicting opinions, would require a much larger volume. The author has avoided this by solving most intricate and disputed questions in a few words. Thus, on page 3~, in speaking of whether, for a person in the state of mortal sin, a supernatural grace is necessary to overcome a grave temptation, the proof of his affirmative position is as follows: " Quoniam tentatio gravis supponit validum incursum simul atque debilem voluntatem; hanc igitur si Deus muniat naturali tantum auxilio-ad voluntatis dispositionem et exigentias-lapsus indubius." While such a statement may confirm the opinion of one who is already convinced of this, it would hardly be sufficient, even with the long accompanying footnote , to shake the confidence of a theologian who holds the contrary opinion. Thus Tanquerey in his Synopsis Theologiae Dogmaticae, a commonly used text in American seminaries, treating the same question says: "Non negamus hominem lapsum propriis viribus posse levibus tentationibus aut etiam alicui gravi tentationi seorsim spectatae resistere," and in a footnote adds: " Quidam theologi asserunt quidem hominem lapsum non posst:, sine gratis, ullam tentationem gravem vincere, sed vel loquuntur de tentatione quae tam diuturna est ut pluribus aequivaleat, vel suam opinionem ex fontibus revelationis probare nequeunt, ut recte animadvertit Pesch, nn. 157, 164: 'Nunquam enim hi fontes loquuntur de aliqua particulari 262 BOOK REVIEWS tentatione, sed de generali ilia pugna, in qua homo undique difficultatibus obsessus sine gratia non potest non superari.'" (Vol. 3, ed. 1930, p. 144.) By far, the best and most completely developed part of the book is that which treats of sufficient and efficacious grace (pp. 71-98) . Here, the author with clearness and force states the Thomistic teaching, buttressing this position with many quotations from Scripture and tradition. But he does not stop here; painstakingly, he summarizes adverse opinions, and with clearness and logic explains away the difficulties of those who oppose the traditional Thomistic stand. Had the same tactics been used in other portions of the book, in the opinion of this reviewer, the book would have increased not only in length, but in value. In speaking of the dispositions necessary for justification, on page 106, the use of the disjunctive " sive fidei, sive spei, sive amoris, sive paenitentiae " can be misleading, even though it is clarified later (pp. 120-138) in speaking of these preparatory acts in detail. Whether or not an explicit act of each of the virtues mentioned in the Council of Trent (Denz. 798) is required for justification, warrants a clearer and more detailed exposition than the footnote on page 130. To the author's interpretation of q. 114, a. 3, on whether a man in the state of grace can merit eternal life condignly, many theologians will prefer the explanation of Sylvius or John of Saint Thomas as quoted by Billuart (De Gratia...