Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepters and thrones, and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her. Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold is but a little sand in her sight, and silver will be accounted as clay before her. I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light because her radiance never ceases. All good things came to me along with her, and in her hands uncounted wealth. I rejoiced in them all because wisdom leads them, but I did not know that she was their mother. I learned without guile, and I impart without grudging; I do not hide her wealth, for it is an unfailing treasure for mortals; those who get it obtain friendship with God, commended for the gifts that come from instruction.
- Wisdom 7:7-14
As the thirteenth century unfolded, much of classical philosophy had been lost by western Europe. At the same time, travel and trade was on the rise, and Europe began to open up to the Arab world and Eastern Europe. Miraculously, THEY had preserved the classic teachings. Among the philosophers that re-emerged in western Europe, Aristotle was quite popular. So much so that the Church felt a bit threatened, as scholars were offering Aristotle as an alternative to the Christian faith. Among those who studied Aristotle was a Dominican friar and Italian theologian named Thomas Aquinas. Rather than dispute Aristotle’s teachings or reject the teachings of the Church, Thomas sought to learn from Aquinas and interpret Christian teachings THROUGH the ideas and language of Aristotle. This has provided the Christian faith with an approach to scholarship, and a way to address different and new ideas that face the Church. We teach through the old ideas rather than against them.
Our world is moving through a cycle we have been through before: distrusting academic and scientific evidence when those ideas pose a challenge to our traditional teachings. When following protocols for medicine face us, many of us lean into agreeing with our “tribe” rather than looking at the data and acting on the evidence in order to do the most good for the most people (i.e. loving your neighbor.) I write this when the data has just been released that Louisiana does not have “herd immunity” for flu because a number of parents with “non-medical reasons” don’t trust the science that has worked for decades. Many are also distrustful of educational institutions, fearful that they are pushing a political agenda rather than helping students learn to think. Distrust of media, science, and religious institutions is all the rage. You may have noticed that mainstream Christian denominations like our own are on the decline, while “non-denominational churches” that preach “Biblical truth” have gained some traction, and are often cited as “the Christian position” in many contemporary publications.
Why my rant? Because today is St. Thomas Aquinas Day (no need to break out the cake and candles.) But this could be a day for all of us to think about the discipline and philosophy of teaching and learning. Thinking is a skill that must be practiced. The literacy rate in the U.S. is dropping, because we adults are not valuing critical reading strongly enough to insist that we teach our children how to read and understand. Where would Christian faith be today if scholars had not devoted themselves to sorting through parchments; to learning and translating texts in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic; to comparing the many sources that make up that massive book of books that we call “The Holy Bible”? Let alone the scholarship of biblical historians and theologians who seek to understand the world that was going on that shaped our faith teachings? It is easy to say, “The Bible says it, and I believe it” without seeking to understand how that book came to be, or what it means today (we continue to see new translations roll out as new scholarship unveils nuances to language and ideas.)
I still give thanks for an ad campaign run by the Episcopal Church back in 1991. Posters came out with a depiction of Jesus followed by the text: “He died to take away your sins, not your mind.” We are called to see the human mind as a gift from God, to be used for the good of this world. We are to be unafraid of the truth, because that truth will always set us free. Christ was, first and foremost to his disciples, a teacher (rabbi). In following his teachings, in practicing their minds (Jesus was always challenging them), the disciples would eventually grow to see Jesus as the son of God, the Savior of the world. May it be so for us.
Musical Reflection - Teach Your Children Well - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
Almighty God, who has enriched your Church with the singular learning and holiness of your servant Thomas Aquinas: Enlighten us more and more, we pray, by the disciplined thinking and teaching of Christian scholars, and deepen our devotion by the example of saintly lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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