The Nature-Grace Question in the Context of Fortitude

THE THOMIST A SPECULATIVE QUARTERLY REVIEW OF THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY EDITORS: THE DoMINICAN FATHERS oF THE PROVINCE oF ST. JosEPH Publishers: The Thomist Press, Washington, D. C. 20017 VoL. XXXV OCTOBER, 1971 No.4 THE NATURE-GRACE QUESTION IN THE CONTEXT OF FORTITUDE T HE IDEA THAT grace, though different from nature, does not destroy but rather presupposes and perfects it, is basic to what might be called the Thomistic vision.1 Examination of this idea is often hindered, however, by the abstractness of the discussion; though the notion is echoed and re-echoed the actual working of nature and grace are not analyzed. It is hoped that materials with which to understand more fully the interaction of nature and grace may be obtained by describing and specifying the activity of both the " graced " and the " natural " man. If so, the concrete referent of natural and supernatural activity will give more content to the analysis of nature and grace. The concrete specification will be investigated by means of the distinction 1 The fundamental references for the general notion of nature and grace are Summa Theologiae I, q. 1, a. 8 ad ~ and q. ~. ad I. See also II-II, q. ~6, a. 13 and I-II, q. 113, a. 9 ad ~ for the idea that the good of a single grace is higher than the natural good of the whole universe. It is interesting to note that in I, q. 1, a. 8 ad ~ St. Thomas himself gives a concrete reference for the relation. 557 558 LEE H. YEARLEY between the natural virtues (e. g., the cardinal virtues) and their supernatural counterparts (in the usual division, the theological virtues, the other infused virtues, and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit). Fortitude is the particular model or instrument chosen to describe the activity of the " natural " and the " graced " man; these descriptions then being used to specify the notion that grace while different from nature does not destroy but rather presupposes and perfects it.2 In general the Thomistic account will be followed as there one sees probably the first and in many ways the best account of both this general idea of nature and grace and the natural virtues and their supernatural counterparts. Nevertheless, to clarify certain issues not directly or perhaps fully dealt with by St. Thomas, some references will be made both to Aristotle and to later developments. The underlying presuppositions of the Thomistic vision-God as an a se Creator, the supernatural end of man, the Creation as dependent but real, etc.-will not be questioned. Nor will there be any attempt to question the final adequacy of the scheme of nature/virtue/habits, etc., to depict fully and most adequately the constitution of man. Finally, there will be no attempt, except tangentially, either to defend the notion of the reality of the supernatural activity or to argue that the idea reflects the distinctive and essential core of Chistianity. To that extent the undertaking is quite modest 2 This kind of analysis could be done for either justice or temperance-prudence being dealt with here insofar as it informs fortitude. Fortitude was chosen because the other two present some particular difficulties: e. g., questions about the distinct nature of Christian asceticism given a world created by God-a problem often reflected in the ambiguity of Thomas's account; the general question of salvation outside Christianity arising from problems concerning the degrees of conscious intentionality of acts toward neighbor that pass beyond the strict demands of justice. Questions like these will arise here but they are less central. In this and later references to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit there is no intention to overlook the problems presented by the peculiarities of their Biblical base, the difficulty of exactly separating out their function, etc. They are referred to because they illuminate certain points and facilitate an understanding of St. Thomas's position, though it must be noted that he may have been led into formulations he would not otherwise have made because he believed they were revealed data that needed to be brought into his analysis. NATURE-GRACE QUESTION IN THE CONTEXT OF FORTITUDE 559 though it...