Book review: St. Thomas Aquinas by G. K. Chesterton

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First published in 1943, this book attempts to summarize both the theology of Aquinas, the context in which he developed it, and its subsequent consequences for Christianity over the centuries. Chesterton begins by contrasting Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) with St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226). But the thrust of the discourse is to explain how Aquinas rescued Aristotle’s works from being rejected because Islamic theology for several hundred years had incorporated them, and Christian thought in the 13th century rejected all things Islamic. 

The crusades had ended, and Islam was still dominant across the mid-East. Although the battle of Tours had stopped Islam’s spread in Western Europe, it was still ascendant in Eastern Europe. Islam’s use of Aristotelian philosophy was consistent with Islamic theology (Chesterton summarizes how), but the point was that the Manicheean theology held unorthodox views. By contrast, Aquinas used Aristotle in the context of Orthodox Christian theology, using Aristotle’s common-sense approach to philosophy that the senses of the material body can be used to understand the world, fully consistent with orthodox faith.

Philosophers and theologians after Aquinas apparently did not appreciate his writings. The basic concepts that he used, and the higher level arguments that he made, were opaque to those steeped in the tradition of Augustine. This is not to cast aspersions on Augustine, but to note that his successors had gone down a path that rejected both common sense and Aristotle. Unfortunately a lot of modern philosophy has gone down even stranger pathways. 

In the last few pages, Chesterton goes on a rant about Martin Luther. While some of his points are valid, the overall vitriolic tone bespeaks his anger at Protestant Christianity as a whole.  I think he overlooks the fact that the Catholic Church at that time had serious problems (for example, selling indulgences) that were supported from bad theology. And Chesterton himself points out that theology as a whole did not quickly adopt Aquinas’ Aristotelian approach. 

In many respects, the modern convergence of Catholic and Protestant theology (as I perceive it) is largely due to two influences that were just emerging in Chesterton’s lifetime. One is the writings of C. S. Lewis, in such books as Mere Christianity that focus on the basic truths of the faith that both Catholics and Protestants hold. The other is the new wind of the Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh, that stirred new life via the Charismatic renewal in both. The role of Aristotle and Aquinas in this trend is that God is the ultimate source of truth, and He uses willing instruments. This is not abstract mysticism, but the same sovereign Will of God that moved in revelation to those who recorded the Scriptures.