St. Maximilian Kolbe vs Thomism – KBGF 8

In this seminar, we look St. Maximilian Kolbe vs Thomism. To review, last time we looked at The Theologian of Auschwitz by Dr. Peter Damian Fehlner (buy it here) with Dr. J. Isaac Goff, we saw Fehlner's two theses:

• One's theological orientation will influence one's interpretation of the theological character of Maximilian Kolbe’s project.


• Maximilian Kolbe is working within a Bonaventurian-Scotistic system, and must be understood within that tradition.

Thus, in this seminar we start to enter into this theological tradition, particularly in comparison and contrast to a Thomistic-Aristotelian approach to theology. In order to do this, we have to look at how the two traditions understand the human person with different accents that lead to very different understandings of theology and the purpose of theology.

Thomistic theology stresses knowing truth as being that which fulfills man, Franciscans emphasize the lived-out love of the truly good, called wisdom.

Thomism stresses the contemplation of truth as the purpose of knowing, Franciscans say that truth is only fully known when knowledge passes to a loving response.

For the Thomist, ones knows and then loves what is known. For the Franciscan, knowing is only fully realized in loving.

This means that for the Thomist, one can know holy things but not be holy, or one can be holy but rely on another to point out the holy thing to be loved. For the Franciscan, only the lover fully knows and knowing is for the purpose of loving, the moment of conceiving a love for what is known is the purpose of knowing. This is because the Franciscan conception of intellect and will sees each as a power with an act of its own, but circulating within each other, while Thomism sees a linear development where I know a truth, see it is good, and desire it. For them, knowing is important, and then love follows more or less automatically.

Thomism stresses that freedom is the choice between limited goods, Franciscans that freedom is the free embrace of the good as good. Thus, for the Thomist there is no freedom in heaven since the vision of God's goodness automatically triggers the will to choose, but for the Franciscan, even if divine beauty is so compelling it necessary enraptures, the act of "Yes, Lord, it is Good" is still free since it comes from my own heart.

These and many more topics are treated in order to lay down the foundation for Saint Maximilian Kolbe's theological work as eminently faithful, intellectual, and real.

Ave Maria!

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