Reality, A Synthesis of Thomistic Thought by Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O. P. (review)

BOOK REVIEWS be growth and novelty, without involving either narrowness or dullness. We cannot imagine that Prof. Lovejoy would pride himself on being inconsistent , though his ideas surely have evolved; and he certainly is neither narrow nor dull in these pages which he has unearthed for the benefit of a wider public. He reads easily, and succeeds in keeping the reader's interest throughout, and throws much light on many questions of great cultural importance. We are grateful to him above all for this concrete example of how the school founded by him endeavours to realise its ideals. The history of philosophy cannot but benefit by the researches so patiently and ably carried out by this school, and can hardly hope to fulfil its task adequately without its help; and if the philosopher or theologian feels bound to express disagreement on some points, surely this is but one more sign of the need of that closer collaboration between specialists for which Prof. Lovejoy so insistently and eloquently calls. Collegio Angelicum, Rome, Italy A. J. McN1cHOLL, O.P. Reality, A Synthesis of Thomistic Thought. By REGINALD GARRIGOULAGRANGE , 0. P. Tr. by Patrick Cummins, 0. S. B. St, Louis: B. Herder, 1950. Pp. 43Q with index. $6.00. This work incorporates an article on Thomism which the author wrote some years ago for the Dictionnaire de theologie catholique. To the article, with a few clarifications, there is added a hundred pages on the objective bases of the Thomistic synthesis, chiefly philosophic, which might not be considered appropriate for a theological dictionary. Actually, however, this philosophical addition makes the original study of theology immeasurably more significant because the content of these added pages were the original inseparable background against which St. Thomas presented his profound theoJogical system. It was always St. Thomas, the pre-eminent metaphysician , who considered the propositions of revelation and the depth of his metaphysical penetration was the source of his genius as a theologian. Prefaced by a brief summary of the contents of the saint's philosophical and theological writings and an excellent appraisal of the Thomistic commentators since the thirteenth century, the fifty-nine chapters of the work are divided into eight parts as follows: (a) the metaphysical synthesis based on the doctrine of act and potency; (b) the theology of De Deo Uno and its rational foundation; (c) the Trinity; (d) the philosophy and theology of angelic and human nature; (e) Redemptive Incarnation; (f) the sacraments in general and the Sacrifice of the Mass, including a brief note on the Church; (g) a summary of chief theses of moral theology; (h) a final BOOK REVIEWS 418 section entitled " Developments and Confirmation" which includes chapters on the absolute importance of the twenty-four theses of Thomism and their derivative propositions; the moderate realism of Thomism with the significance of its fundamental first principles; the opposition of pragmatism ; ontological personality; efficacious grace. It must be immediately said that as one of the most distinguished of contemporary Thomists, Father Garrigou-Lagrange has added a crowning achievement to his long list of brilliant Thomistic treatises. His previous nine major works have been on special problems of Thomistic philosophy and theology. He has now given us his own important Summa of both fields in a clear, precise expression that is a delight to read. Here St. Thomas the metaphysician par excellence, possessed of a thoroughly rational and consistent metaphysical system, is the real explanation of St. Thomas the theologian penetrating with remarkable insight into the mysteries of faith because of the sharpness of his philosophical instrument. In the time of the saint it was very evidently true that philosophers became philosophers primarily for the purpose of becoming theologians as the crowning achievement of their thought. No more today than in the thirteenth century can the theologian neglect, or be ignorant of, current metaphysical trends since he knows the profound effect these latter must have upon every detail of theological discussion of his time. Hence this author's concern at the very outset with the details of the Thomistic metaphysical synthesis, intelligible being and first principles, act and potency, and his return at the end of his studies to such philosophical questions as...