Tomasz z Akwinu. Wykład Pierwszego i Drugiego Listu do Tesaloniczan

Translation and introduction – Piotr Roszak Editing – Piotr Roszak, Enrique Alarcón The exegesis we encounter while reading the Commentary on the First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians is Aquinas' theological "alphabet", as for him, the exegesis is not an end in itself, but it is supposed to lead to further theological reflection. Therefore, one can clearly see in St. Thomas' practice a strong emphasis on the analysis of the content conveyed by Scripture, and not a simple reading of the external tone of the text, considered by many to be the literal meaning. This is an attentive exegesis focused on discovering reason and meaning; it is the result of the conviction that theology in the service of divine Wisdom can be based on certain reasons or arguments that do not weaken faith but, on the contrary, strengthen it. Since God created the world in his wisdom (omnia in sapientia fecisti, St. Thomas often repeats this biblical quote from Ps 103), and this is transmitted to creation, it is reasonable to ask about arguments and justifications also in what is considered the natural order. This is one of those theological assumptions that have undoubtedly contributed to the development of science. In this way of interpreting the biblical text, which we can observe in the Exposition of the First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, a certain style, which integrates Scripture, Tradition and speculation, resonates. This type of theological work method, which can be observed in St. Thomas, has earned the name of "biblical Thomism": fidelity to the reading of the text of Holy Scripture is not intellectual slavery, or freezing of thinking, but an avalanche that triggers subsequent meanings. This is the art of integration, for which St. Thomas was famous. Rev. Prof. dr hab. Piotr Roszak, an excerpt from the introduction to the book