THOMAS AQUINAS AND PROPHECY

by James G. King, Jr.

The doctrine of spiritual gifts tends to be portrayed by

Pentecostals as a third alternative; Fundamentalism with its
antipathy toward modern charismata and Liberalism with its
skepticism of biblical supernatural claims are seen as the unac-
ceptable choices. To develop the doctrine of gifts in this light,
however, is to ignore over sixteen centuries of theology. Ex-
tensive treatment was given to the subject by various theologians
and pietists during the patristic, medieval and early Protestant
eras.1 Many of these still influence Catholic, Orthodox and
Protestant thought.

lThe diversity of beliefs which have existed in the Church are surveyed by James G.
King, Jr., "Historical Believes Regarding Gifts of the Spirit," an unpublished paper
presented to the 1977 meeting of the Society for Pentecostal Studies.
James G.King,Jr., is a Ph.D. candidate at New YorkUniversity. He is a minister in the
Assemblies of God.

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 Thomas Aquinas (122?-12?4?) is a significant example of a
leading theologian who wrote extensively on the charismata.
Aquinas was the most brilliant of medieval theologians. He repre-
sented the ecclesiastical mainstream of his age and continues to
influence the Catholic Church to this day. His prolific writing
produced one volume on charisms plus various shorter treat-
ments.1 He wrote extensively on the relationship of abilities and
charisms to the indwelling of the Spirit.2 His thoughts on the rela-
tionship between reason, revealtion, and God's universal grace
had enormous influence on other doctrines and deserve inquiry as
to possible application to charisms. Study of Aquinas is in-
triguing because he poses a challenge to some Pentecostal as-
sumptions while supporting others. He cannot be ignored because
he discusses issues which Pentecostals and their critics have not
(yet) discussed.

CATEGORIES OF CHARISMS

Aquinas, utilizing a concept initiated before him, distinguishes

between gifts and charisms.3 To Aquinas, the term "gift" refers to
the work of the Spirit which Protestants view as regeneration
and/or sanctification. The gifts are permanent characteristics
received by all Christians from the Holy Spirit which enables them
to be receptive to God. Charisms are temporary actions by God. I
Corinthians 12:8-10 is considered a representative list of
charisms and Isaiah 11:2-3 is considered the major list of gifts.
(Observe hereafter Thomas' use of the two terms: "charism" and
"gift",)

'Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae;VoL45 (2a2ae 171-178) Prophecyand Other

Charisms. Trans. Roland Potter. NY: McGraw-Hill (197-). Also see Summa Contra
Gentiles,Vol. 3, Ch. lOOff.
2Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae;VoL24 (1a2ae 68-70) The Gifts of the Spirit
Trans. Edward D. O'Conner. NY: McGraw-Hill(197-).

3See the extensive notes and appendices by O'Conner in Vol. 24.

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 Aquinas identifies several charisms, each of which he places
in a distinct category.1

Revelatory Charism:
1. Prophecy. Forms of prophecy include:
Illumination
Revelation
Utterance under divine empowerment
Performance of miraculous signs
Speech Charisms:
2. Tongues-preaching in other languages
3. Interpretation of speeches (not just tongues)
4. Utterance of wisdom
5. Utterance of knowledge
Action Charisms:
6. Miracles
7. Healings

The highest charism is prophecy and the highest form of prophecy

is illumination. True prophecy requires either illumination or
revelation or both; while Aquinas admits the role-of utterance and
signs in prophecy, he has reservations as to whether they can be
considered prophecy when neither illumination or revelation are
present. Speech charisms are superior to action charisms; within
these two categories the charisms are not ranked.

KNOWLEDGE: THE FOCUS OF CHARISMS

Thomas was a supernaturalist. He believed in the continuation

of charisms and asserted that all of them require divine inter-
vention.2 He was also a philosophic theologian who was pre-

1 Althoughthe terms "revelatory charism" and "action charisms" are not supplied by
Aquinas, the divisions below and associated charisms are clearly represented in Vol. 45.
2Vol. 45, pp. 31-33.

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occupied with knowledge. He declared that the mental is superior
to the moral, the contemplative above the active. 1
This interest is reflected in his doctrine of prophecy. Al-
though Thomas recognizes a variety of different charisms, he
views prophecy as the ultimate charism which encopasses most
attributes found in toher charisms.2 Observe the categories of
prophecy and the subsequent charisms. Prophetic utterance and
prophetic demonstration of signs performs essentially the same
function as the speech and action charism. This schema results
from Aquinas emphasis on knowledge: reception of information
is central to his doctrine of charisms. All charisms convey infor-
mation ; even the action charisms convey some form of com-
munication.
Pentecostal theology would tend to counter this perspective,
offering a theology of heart and life. Experience is the centerpoint
of Pentecostal gifts: experiences of healing, of miracles, of speak-
ing in tongues. Revelation is seldom discussed by Pentecostal
theologians. The so-called "revelatory gifts" are actually means of
resolving current needs and are seldom described as performing a
theological role. When speech charismata produce theology, they
are conveying knowledge already revealed in Scripture. The role
of speech charisms in Pentecostal worship is to actualize know-
ledge ; the information conveyed is usually known but not pro-
ducing the desired effect on the minds and lives of the hearers
until the operation of the charismata.

REVELATION AND INSPIRATION

Aquinas views revelation and illumination as resulting in the

same effect: prophecy. Revelation is the process which causes
information to be received. A variety of vehicles are used: visions,
dreams, auditory commands, ecstacy, etc. Ecstasy being defined
as revealtion which is not dependent on bodily senses3
Illumination is the most important of the two forms. It pro-
vides the capacity to understand and judge information.4 Illumi-

lvol. 24, p. 35 2Vol. 45, p. 13, 15. 3Ibid., p. 97.

4Ibid., pp. 55ff, 65ff.

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nation can involve the use of available human knowledge as well as
dively revealed knowledge. Because prophets are normally en-
lightened, they are able to pass judgement on human or divine
information. For example, Joseph was able to understand the
meaning of the dreams received by others even though he did not
receive the dreams nor did he receive a special revelation inter-
preting the dreams. Illumination, like all the charisms, is by divine
action; it is not a permanent or a natural ability. Revelation
without illumination is an inferior form of prophecy because the
recipient does not understand the significance of what he has
received. In the story of Joseph the two Egyptians were reci-
pients of such revelation.
Protestant theology normally distinguishes between revela-
tion, illumination and inspiration. Illumination enables readers to
understand scripture. Some Protestant theologians expend il-
lumination to include all non-revelatory means of understanding
divine truth. (Some Pentecostals would appear to suggest that
modern prophecy is a form of illumination.) Inspiration is con-
sidered the means of conveying knowledge in such a way that the
writer of a scripture actually writes what God wants written.
Inspiration is only given to writers of Scripture. It does not
necessarily raise their own understanding of what they wrote.
Protestants formally depict revelation as including all forms of
divine communication; however, there is a tendency to depict
revelation as exclusively occurring within the time frame of the
canon.
The Protestant approach divorces the charismatic gift of
prophecy from the production of Scripture: inspiration, not
revelation or illumination, is the distinguishing cause of Scrip-
ture. All writers of Scripture were inspired, but not all were
prophets and not all received revelation. Inspiration has ceased
and probably revelation. For Aquinas, the same charism of
prophecy operates in all writers of Scripture and in all non-
Scripture prophets. Although Aquinas recognizes the need for in-
suring the accuracy of Scripture, he incorporates it within his
concept of illumination and does not develop a doctrine of in-
spiration. The continuation of both illumination and revelation is
assumed.

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 DEGREES OF PROPHECY

For Aquinas, prophecy is not the carrying of truth to a per-

son, it is God revealing himself. The ultimate subject as well as the
origin of all prophecy is God.
Perfect prophecy requires perfect knowledge of God. To
achieve this man would have to be in the very presence of God (the
"beatific vision")-a feat which Aquinas says is impossible this
side of heaven. Therefore prophets and their prophecies cannot
be perfect.' Prophecy received by believers may be imperfect in
type of knowledge and amount of knowledge, but not in truthful-
ness. When speaking of the imperfect nature of prophecy, Aquinas
says: Each prophet "knows only some part of the reality, in
accordance with a special revelation on some particular point"2
"God reveals to prophets all that is needed for the instruction of
the believing people of God. Not that each prophet receives all,
but some truths are revealed to one, some to another."3 Aquinas
says that unbelievers may occasionally receive prophecy; such
receptions may be a mixture of truth and error because the
indwelling Spirit is not present (via gifts) to insure accurate
reception.
Aquinas does not rank prophecy by its truthfulness (or in-
fallibility), but rather by its completeness and content. The more
distant information is from human knowledge, the more valuable
the prophecy. The highest form of prophecy concerns informa-
tion which man can obtain or deduce-such as occurrences in
heaven. Since prophecy is concerned with information that is far
from our range of knowledge, "the more a reality is distant from
human knowledge, the more properly will that reality belong to
prophecy."4
Although Aquinas does not discuss the role of charisms in the
production of tradition, this ranking of prophecy is consistent with
Roman beliefs regarding all forms of theological knowledge,

lIbid., pp. 19, 15, 51ff. In Summa, Aquinas is quite insistent on the impossibility of
truly being present with God prior to death (vol.45, p. 19);but in his earlier Contra Gentiles
(vol.3, p. 175) he suggests that Paul did ascend to the actual presence of God (II Cor. 12:ff).
2Ibid., pp. 19. 3Ibid. 4bid., p. 15

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whether Scripture or tradition. The value of extra-Biblical
writings and prophecies are dependent on how much divine truth
they reveal. Catholic thought does not distinguish between the
operation of the Spirit which produced Scripture and the opera-
tion of the Spirit which empowers charisms. Scripture is different
from tradition in that Scripture contains more knowledge about
divine realities and is more valuable to the Church. The same
activity of the Holy Spirit, however, enables the more recent
writers of tradition as enabled the writers of Scripture.

RECEPTION

Charisms lift man above his human nature.' For Aquinas,

prophecy is neither man searching for truth, nor God descending
to man but God raising man's mind "to the point of perceiving
divine truths ..."2 "A prophecy calls for an inspiration which will
raise a mind's capacities, ... revelation brings about the removal
of the veils of ignorance and obscurity."3

The history of gifts displays three major approaches regard-

ing man's role in reception of charismata. Augustine and many
post-reformation Protestants insisted on the total sovereignty of
God in the distribution of charismata. Others, such as the radical
reformers and Quakers, insisted on the ability of believers to seek
and hence receive. A third alternative is found in Aquinas who
tends to depict the giving of charisms as sovereign acts of God
while describing the acceptance and retention of charisms as in-
fluenced by the response of the individual. For example, evil may
hinder the reception of charisms, but good works do not cause
their reception. Natural talents do not cause the reception of
charisms, but they enable the recipient to accept them and use
them wisely. Sin may cause the early withdrawal of a charism.
However, Aquinas adds that God can remedy these detrimental
conditions.

'Ibid., p. 13. 2Ibid., p. 7 3Ibid., p. 9

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 Although Aquinas insists that believers are the normal re-
cipients of charisms, they may be received by the unregenerate.
Charisms are not necessarily received by the best of believers:
"God confers prophecy upon those he judges best to give it to."'

To Pentecostals, charisms are made available because of the

giving of the Holy Spirit to believers; thus the giving of char-
ismata to unbelievers may be considered as inconsistent with
traditional Pentecostal assumptions. For Thomas, this is a logical
result of his theology. He devotes considerable attention to God's
blessings to all men, believing and unbelieving. Because charisms
are not necessary for salvation, it must therefore be possible for
unbelievers to receive them. Various Old Testament examples are
cited to substantiate this conclusion.

Aquinas emphasizes the impermanence of charisms. In

contrast with many Protestants but in agreement with both Pente-
costal and most early Christian thought, Aquinas centers his dis-
cussion around the manifestations of I Corinthians 12:8-10 rather
than on verses which speak of ministries and offices. "Prophecy is
not given as a lasting inward form, but rather as a passing passion.
So it is quite possible for one and the same prophet to receive
prophetic revelations in different degrees and at different times."2
Revelation is like light shining from its source (i.e. God); it is not
the source, but reveals something regarding the nature of its
source; it is transitory, disappearing as soon as the source with-
draws ; yet its effects may linger and cause permanent results.3
Once touched by the light of revelation, the prophet may be
changed and a continuing ministry may result. Thus, while
prophecy is temporary, the prophetic ministry may be permanent.
A prophet would tend to be more receptive to revelation and
would tend to receive illumination as a continuing process.

'Ibid., p. 43. 2Ibid., pp. 81-83. 3Ibid., p. 1 lff.

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 Although the period of Nicea was marked by various theolo-
gians who discounted the continuation of various charismata, later
Catholic thought tends to assume their continuity. Aquinas allows
for charisms in his day (but shows little interest in promoting their
actual reception). He states that prophecy varies with different
periods. There have been three major periods; before the law,
after the law, and under grace.' During each period the first
prophets are the greatest, they receive the greatest measure of
revelation. Though prophecy does not cease with later prophets, it
displays less revelation. There are "always some who had the
spirit of prophecy, not for the purpose of setting our new doctrine
to be believed, but for the governance of human activities."2

llbid., p. 89. 2Ibid., p. 93..

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