Why Thinking in Faith? A Reappraisal of Edith Stein’s View of Reason

Tereza-Brindusa Palade

Why Thinking in Faith? A Reappraisal of Edith Stein’s View of Reason

Article

15/2 - Fall 2010, pages 401-412

Date of online publication: 20 décembre 2010

Date of publication: 20 décembre 2010

Abstract

This paper intends to question the conventional wisdom that philosophy should limit its endeavours to the horizon of modern transcendentalism, thus rejecting the presuppositions of faith. By reappraising Edith Stein's views of faith and reason, which are also shared by the magisterial document of John Paul II, Fides et ratio, an argument for the possibility of “thinking in faith” is put forward. But why would it be important nowadays to engage in rational research in philosophy in a quest for truth which also draws its inspiration from faith? First of all, as I shall argue, because the two great modern transcendental projects, namely the Kantian and the Husserlian one, which were both in tune with Spinoza's project to liberate philosophical reason from theology, have failed. Secondly, because “faith” (fides) is not based on “irrational sentiments,” but is “intellectual understanding,” as Edith Stein argues. Third, because the natural light of the created intellect is, as was shown by St. Thomas Aquinas, a participated likeness of the supernatural light of the uncreated divine intellect. Therefore, even the natural philosopher gets their own light from the eternal Truth of faith. Finally, by following another Thomistic stance, one may argue that the end of human life is an intelligible one: the contemplation of God. In order to attain this end, the human being should endeavour to attain as much as is possible, in an intelligible way, the thing desired. Even if the philosophical inquiry has its own limits, it may however sustain such progress towards the end of human life.

Keywords

Cite this article

Palade, Tereza-Brindusa. “Why Thinking in Faith? A Reappraisal of Edith Stein’s View of Reason.” Forum Philosophicum 15, no. 2 (2010): 401–12. doi:10.35765/forphil.2010.1502.27.

Bibliography

Anselm of Canterbury. Monologion and Proslogion: with the Replies of Gaunilo and Anselm. Translated by Thomas Williams. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 1996.

Benedict XVI. “Address to participants at the Sixth European Symposium for university professors.” La Santa Sede, June 7, 2008. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2008/june/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080607_docenti-univ_en.html.

John Paul II. Fides et Ratio: On the Relationship between Faith and Reason. Encyclical Letter of John Paul II. Boston: Pauline Books, 1998.

Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Discourses. Edited by Bernard Crick. Translated by Leslie J. Walker and Brian Richardson. London: Penguin Books, 1998.

Kowalska, Saint Maria Faustina. Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul. Stockbridge, MA: Marian Press, 2005.

Palade, Brînduşa. Raţiune, credinţă şi demnitate a omului: despre viaţa şi gândirea lui Edith Stein. Târgu-Lăpuş: Galaxia Gutenberg, 2008.

Paolinelli, Marco. La ragione salvata: sulla “filosofia Cristiana” di Edith Stein. Milano: Angeli, 2001.

Spinoza, Baruch. Tractatus Theologico-Politicus. In Opera. Vol. 3. Edited by Carl Gebhardt. Heidelberg: Winter, 1925.

Stein, Edith. Edith Steins Werke. Edited by Lucy Gelber and Michael Linssen. Vol. 14, Briefe an Roman Ingarden 1917–1938. Freiburg: Herder, 1991.

Stein, Edith. “Der Intellekt und die Intellektuellen.” In Wege zur inneren Stille, edited by Waltraud Herbstrith, 98–117. Műnchen: Haffke, 1987.

Stein, Edith. Edith Steins Werke. Edited by Lucy Gelber and Michael Linssen. Vol. 15, Erkenntnis und Glaube. Freiburg: Herder, 1993.

Stein, Edith. Wege zur inneren Stille. Edited by Waltraud Herbstrith. Aschaffenburg: Kaffke, 1987.

Thomas Aquinas. The Summa Theologica. Translated by the Fathers of the English Dominican Province, New York: Benziger Bros, 1948.

Copyright

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License