Ressourcement Thomism Sacred Doctrine, the Sacraments, and the Moral Life

The essays in this volume explore three areas in which St. Thomas Aquinas's voice has never fallen silent: sacred doctrine, the relationship of sacraments and metaphysics, and the central role of virtue in moral theology. For Aquinas, sacramental theology studies how Christ Jesus acts in the Church through created instruments, namely, the sacraments and their ministers. He remains a crucial source of wisdom for such discussions, which have profound pastoral implications. Aquinas also undertakes inquiry into human nature, human flourishing, and life in Christ. The transformation of created human capacities through the grace of the Holy Spirit requires a careful integration of philosophical and theological reflection, for which Aquinas's moral theology has proven pastorally fruitful and spiritually energizing over the centuries. The authors consider the treatment of these themes in light of, and in tribute to, the wide-ranging work of Aquinas scholar Romanus Cessario, O.P. The essays highlight the importance of St. Thomas Aquinas in contemporary theology and exemplify how to draw upon the resources of the saint for contemporary purposes of appropriation and practice, rather than for strictly historical purposes. Throughout, one sees the importance of St. Thomas Aquinas for theology today.