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Essay on Patristic Period of Moral Theology
Moral theology is a branch of theology, the science of God and Divine things. The distinction between natural and supernatural theology rests on a solid foundation. Natural theology is the science of God Himself, in as far as the human mind can by its own efforts reach a definite conclusion about God and His nature: it is always designated by the adjective natural. Theology, without any further modification, is invariably understood to mean supernatural theology that is, the science of God and Divine things, in as far as it is based on supernatural Revelation. Its subject-matter embraces not only God and His essence, but also His actions and His works of salvation and the guidance by which we are led to God, our supernatural end.
Consequently, it extends much farther than natural theology; for, though the latter informs us of God's essence and attributes, yet it can tell us nothing about His free works of salvation. The knowledge of all these truths is necessary for every man, at least in its broad outlines, and is acquired by Christian faith. But this is not yet a science. The science of theology demands that the knowledge won through faith, be deepened, expanded, and strengthened, so that the articles of faith be understood and defended by their reasons and be, together with their conclusions, arranged systematically (Lienhard, 340, 359).
In common with much early philosophy, Christianity holds to theism, or the absolute transcendence of God. Hence it would have been possible, absolutely speaking, to work out a Christian philosophy from the very first appearance of Christianity. Such a philosophy, taking into account the dogmatic affirmations of religion, would have explained the philosophical problems which follow from the absolute transcendence of God. But this did not happen in the centuries immediately following the appearance of Christianity, and one must wait for the rise of Scholasticism in order to have a Christian philosophy.....
