Understanding St. Thomas on the Eternity of the World: Help from Giles of Rome?

One can gather from Giles of Rome three typical positions regarding the eternity of the world, of which two particularly concern a study by Fr. John Wippel (the late James Weisheipl, OP, having approved enthusiastically of the study): 1) the past eternity of the world cannot be demonstrated to be im...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Bukowski, Thomas (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Peeters 1991
In: Recherches de théologie ancienne et médiévale
Year: 1991, Volume: 58, Pages: 113-125
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Parallel Edition:Non-electronic
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Summary:One can gather from Giles of Rome three typical positions regarding the eternity of the world, of which two particularly concern a study by Fr. John Wippel (the late James Weisheipl, OP, having approved enthusiastically of the study): 1) the past eternity of the world cannot be demonstrated to be impossible; 2) the past eternity of the world is possible. Thomas Aquinas, according to Fr. Wippel, held only #1, not yet #2, until late in his career. One can show, on the contrary, that St. Thomas held position #2 throughout his career. Thomas's early and late teaching, on the Creator's omnipotence and on the very nature of creative activity and on that of the creature as such, implies unmistakably a world that could, had the Creator so willed, have been eternal in the past.
ISSN:2593-2896
Contains:Enthalten in: Recherches de théologie ancienne et médiévale