The Image of God and Original Justice (Aquinas 101)

“The image of God exists in the mind, not because it has a remembrance of itself, loves itself, and understands itself; but because it can also remember, understand, and love God by Whom it was made.” -St. Augustine of Hippo

The human being is made in God's image as spiritual creatures. We are most like God by knowledge and by love. When we come to know God and love God, we reflect His image most clearly, because then in our faculties we reflect what God simply is.

The Image of God and Original Justice (Aquinas 101) - Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P.

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[angelicdoctor]

I could listen all day everyday to The Thomistic Institute videos on YouTube. God apparently wants me to do other things as well, so I do (lol).

[kristindreko]

Thank you for this video!
May our Lord Jesus Christ bless you!

[INFINITY_]

Good is good....
He gave us A Good life.

[Hieronymus]

Dear Fr. Thomas, did St. Thomas also believe that prehuman hominids were the slime of the earth from which God created Adam? How do you reconcile the million years of evolution and struggle for life, death and decay before the first humans came on the scene with God's Word that tells us that everything he created was good, very good? And St. Paul's words in 1st Corinthians 15:21-22 and Romans 8:19-22? How did St. Thomas interpret these verses?

[isaacOfNiniveh]

I would say that the figures of Adam and Eve cannot symbolize the first human community, contrary to what is stated around 2:40. This view that Adam and Eve symbolize the first human community is called polygenism, and it was kind of forbidden by Pope Pius XII in his encyclical Human Generis. In it, he states:

_37. _*_When, however, there is question of another conjectural opinion, namely polygenism, the children of the Church by no means enjoy such liberty. For the faithful cannot embrace that opinion which maintains that either after Adam there existed on this earth true men who did not take their origin through natural generation from him as from the first parent of all, or that Adam represents a certain number of first parents._*_ Now it is in no way apparent how such an opinion can be reconciled with that which the sources of revealed truth and the documents of the Teaching Authority of the Church propose with regard to original sin, which proceeds from a sin actually committed by an individual Adam and which, through generation, is passed on to all and is in everyone as his own.[12]_

So I think that we should hold fast to monogenism, the view that the whole of human race originated with two literal first humans, Adam and Eve, as this conforms to papal teaching. At least if subsequent papal teaching did not overturn Pope Pius's. I, at least, have no knowledge of such teaching.

[LMD]

So the preternatural graces that our first parents lost due to sin were Infused knowledge, Immortality, Impassibility and Integrity. Did I missed anything? I am looking forward that these God's gift to man be restored in the new creation Jesus promised. Laudamus te!

[AspiringCatholic]

I don't understand what you meant by "fully subject to reason" or how man's reason was subject to God?

[kjlkathandjohn]

I find it helpful to think of evolution being: Not "the evolution of man (human)", but, Rather it is: "the evolution of disposed matter" finally one day being disposed for participating the human soul (yes, transitive use of 'participating') and this applied soul is present where there is a living disposed human body, applied by 'The Angel of the LORD' in that Now of disposition.
[Aquinas + Aristotle + Augustine]

[anuruddhajayawickrama]

Are you saying God waited millions of years between creating animals and creating man?

[adventureinallthings]

I'm a very big student of paleontology and follow every development I see in the field. I not only accept the theory of evolution but take great joy in it. I know this is in keeping with Catholic faith which is great because were it otherwise I'd be feeling I'd not only be not using my reason but actually throwing it under the bus. I'm also aware that Catholics are free to believe in a more literal version of the story of Adam and Eve if they wish. This somewhat confused me as while of course I'm aware the science in this field will always undergo further development, there is much about it that is as settled as the fact that the earth goes round the sun and not vice versa. For example it is very interesting that we have only very recently discovered that every single human alive has the same one woman in their ancestry and every one had the same one man in the ancestors ( know as genetic Adam and Eve ) however it is also known by the exact same scientific method that these two people were seperated from each other by thousands of years, so obviously never met. I know the church has not commented much in this area and is content to let science continue to make new findings in this field but I was curious to know if this knowledge has had any impact in church thinking and if there are any theories within church thinking as to what might have happened given what we now know. For example, does anyone think that the first humans that received souls had parents that did not have souls and if so what kind of relationship ( from a Christian perspective did they have or not have or even should have with such animal but sentient and caring parents ) just curious, that's all. I'm not expecting much of an answer really but given you guys produce such good stuff I thought there is a chance you might have some idea or perhaps thoughts on this topic 🤔

[DawsonBennettDawsonTv]

Are there any thomistic views on stoicism?

[INFINITY_]

I am a sinner not a perfect human being

[andrewf.castaneda]

I read The Metaphysics of Evolution by Fr. Chad Ripperger, and the message from this video seem to contradict each other insofar as "man evolving from an ape". There's also a comment below that seems to reinforce the unsettled science of the Earth rotating the sun or the sun rotating around the Earth; which is it? And here I was rejoicing in Francis not interjecting his type of catholicism in today's Querida Amazonia!

[bandie]

we have to invent an other word for evolution or an other example with which science–religion non-contradiction is exemplified, because some people get immediately triggered on this word and starts never ending skirmish and denial. at any means. to the death. just see any comment section.

[adventureinallthings]

I asked a simple question yesterday in the hope of nothing more in response than perhaps some mild speculation that might provide some food for thought. The question is there below near the beginning. What I wasn't expecting was ignorant bile and threats of damnation for holding perfectly normal views on the topic that are in keeping with church teaching. I'm not upset at the comments ( I'm a big boy and can take it and a whole lot worse ) but I'm done listening to such people. Is there anyone there that would like to make some speculation on what I asked initially that is not some ranting raving 'Trad' ( self identified as such I mean, as I don't believe in such a concept, there is just catholic, no prefix nonsense of any kind) . Anyone except them have any thoughts ?. If they come in again I'm just going to ignore them. Life is too short

[SublimeSynth]

my god spoke to me last night and told me christianity is a lie. going to have to go with what my god told me last night, sorry

[davepugh]

The truth is that God was created (by men) in the image of men.

[qwerty-soml]

Genesis 1 is ELOHIM (Lucifer and the fallen angels).
They made man in their image. (tares)
Man is an idol, a trap to hunt angels.

Genesis 2:7 the Lord God forms His representative in their system. (wheat)

One Gospel:
Gospel (GOOD ANGEL) of Reconciliation.

Jesus Christ came into THEIR kingdom
to reconcile fallen angels unto Himself.
We are the fallen angels (ELOHIM) kept in DNA chains of darkness.
If you do not confess being a fallen angel in Lucifer's kingdom, then you are an unbeliever.

Unbeliever = those that claim to be made in the image of ELOHIM(gods).

REPENT FALLEN ANGELS.

[johnmceachern]

Your view on evolution is truly disappointing and, in my view, scandalous. This is not the first video I have watched of yours in which you leave to "scientific competence" whether God created man in an evolutionary process at a certain period of time distanced from the "big bang" (another theory you seem to embrace). I expect these views from heretics, atheists, protestants and even so-called Catholics, but I honestly wasn't expecting them from priests promoting the beautiful writings of Saint Thomas Aquinas.. Modernism truly is the synthesis of all evils.