Saint Augustine on Reason, Faith, and Divine Truth
The Interplay of Reason and Faith
In the work of Saint Augustine, there is no clear distinction between reason and faith, a concept that marks the flow of all his thought. He believed that there is only one truth, revealed by religion, and reason can help to know her better. Without belief in the dogmas of faith, one cannot come to understand the truth, God, and everything created by God. The wisdom of the ancients would not be more to him than ignorance.
Reason as a Tool for Clarifying Faith
Augustine’s phrase “includes believing” clearly refers to the subsidiary, but necessary, role of reason as a tool for the clarification of faith. He believed that faith can and must be based on rational discourse. When properly used, reason cannot disagree with faith but rather strengthens its value.
Influence on Later Christian Philosophy
This deep connection between reason and faith became a feature of later Christian philosophy until the new interpretation of the relationship between the two provided by Saint Thomas Aquinas. It demonstrates a clear dependence of philosophy on theology.
The Essence of Truth According to Saint Augustine
For Saint Augustine, the essence of truth is God’s truth, and in the absolute sense, it is not merely an appropriateness or similarity between thought and reality. That would be the true definition of epistemological (or logical) truth, formulated by Aristotle, which Augustine knew and assumed as his starting point.
Eternal Ideas and Reasons in the Spirit of God
However, Augustine relegated this usage to a second term to highlight what he considered the foundation of truth: the eternal ideas and reasons in the spirit of God. Truth coincides with them, and these rationes, stock, and aeternae species are the real essence of being and truth. Since these ideas are from God, Augustine concluded that God is truth.
Key Tenets of Augustine’s Philosophy:
- Unity of Truth: Only one truth exists, revealed through religion.
- Reason’s Role: Reason serves to better understand and clarify faith.
- Faith’s Primacy: Understanding truth requires belief in the dogmas of faith.
- Divine Truth: God is the ultimate source and essence of truth.
- Eternal Ideas: Truth resides in the eternal ideas within the spirit of God.