There is a debate that’s been picking up steam over the past few years in reformed circles over scholasticism. It never crossed my mind up until a few years ago that scholasticism could be anything but a good thing. As someone who loves truth, learning, and old books by faithful men, I counted myself as a lover of scholasticism and philosophy. Isn’t education a good thing, after all? Of course it is.
But then something very strange happened. I started noticing that many reformers spoke out vehemently against scholasticism and philosophy.
How is this possible? Weren’t the reformers and puritans some of the most well-educated people who ever lived? Weren’t they well-read in classical Greek and Medieval authors? The majority of reformers and puritans are far more well-read than nearly all pastors or college professors of our age. And many of them were teachers or professors, sharing their knowledge with people through their writings to this very day. Aren’t these men who sought to return the world to true Biblical Christianity after it was led completely astray by the Catholic church? Wasn’t that the very purpose of the Reformation, to set the church straight?
How can men who are seeking to correct the trajectory of the Christian Church hate education, while at the same time being highly educated? Are they hypocrites?
The answer lies in a misconception I had about the meaning of Scholasticism.
I thought Scholasticism was merely the love of knowledge or learning. Similarly, the original meaning of the word philosophy, or “philo-sophia” means love of wisdom. If by Scholasticism and philosophy, we mean merely something like a love of learning or wisdom, there’s nothing wrong with them whatsoever, and I think the reformers would agree. But neither Scholasticism or philosophy in most modern contexts are generally actually defined this way. They have a much more specific meaning.
And the reformers understood Scholasticism in the way that it was practiced in their age. In fact, they’re practiced in exactly the same way today.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, “Scholasticism is the system of theology and philosophy taught in medieval European universities, based on Aristotelian logic and the writings of the early Church Fathers and having a strong emphasis on tradition and dogma.”
Interesting. It seems like I was conflating a broad meaning of Scholasticism with how it is actually applied.
So what’s the Debate?
An increasingly noisy group of folks calling themselves Reformed Scholastics want to argue that the reformers were friendly with Scholasticism. They seek to reclaim Scholastic writings that were built upon Aristotelian philosophy and incorporate them into modern Christianity. Having the reformers on your team is a powerful for demonstrating the truth of a view. But were the reformers really friendly with Scholasticism? If they were, surely it would be a fine idea to reincorporate these ancient ideas back into our theology today.
What Did the Reformers Actually Think About Scholasticism?
It seems like many reformers recognized Scholasticism and pagan philosophy’s infiltration into the theology of the church as the very thing that lead the church astray to the point of causing the reformers’ own martyrdom. I can’t imagine that many reformers were fans of Thomas Aquinas while the Summa Theologica (instead of the Bible) was being used to create a case for why they should be burned alive as heretics.
Let’s see what the reformers themselves had to say about Scholasticism, and theology utilizing Greek philosophy. If we want to reclaim historical Reformed Christianity after all, we should be willing to learn from what the reformers believed.
John Calvin
Many “reformed scholastics” attempt to distort John Calvin to make him an ally of Scholasticism. But his own words in many places say otherwise.
“Certainly I do not deny that one can read competent and apt statements about God here and there in the philosophers, but these always show a certain giddy imagination… But they saw things in such a way that their seeing did not direct them to the truth, much less enable them to attain it! They are like a traveler passing through a field at night who in a momentary lightning flashes far and wide, but the sight vanishes so swiftly that he is plunged again into the darkness of the night before he can take even a step – let alone be directed on his way by its help.”
Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 2, Section 18.
“The schoolmen have polluted the pure word of God with their endless questions and subtleties. They have turned theology into a mere dialectical game, and have invented I know not what monstrous stuff, for the purpose of rendering the Scriptures obscure and unintelligible.”
Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4, Chapter 17, Section 24.
“Nothing, indeed, can be more becoming the sons of light than to reject the mysteries of darkness. Hence the licentious and indiscriminate inquiries in which ancient philosophy indulged, which some of the schoolmen, too, have imitated, ought to be banished from Christian schools.”
Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 5, Section 12.
“The whole body of the Schoolmen is so profane that one cannot touch them without receiving pollution.”
Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 13, Section 21.
“Philosophy is the knowledge of divine and human things; but of what use is this, if it be not built on the solid foundation of the fear of God? Hence, although I deny not that a measure of prudence and intelligence is conferred upon us by nature, yet I hold that it is so corrupted as to be of no avail.”
Commentary on the Gospel of John, Chapter 1.
“The human mind is, so to speak, a perpetual forge of idols. Hence, the imagination of man conceived many strange and fictitious gods.”
Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 11, Section 8.
“We must avoid their perverse boldness and insolence, lest we carry our curiosity beyond the bounds which God has prescribed. For it is evident that nothing can be more presumptuous than to seek to know anything of this heavenly philosophy, which the Lord himself has revealed.”
Commentary on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 131.
“The human mind, because of its weakness, can hardly conceive of God as he is. Hence, as to the knowledge of God, no man can arrive at it by himself, for the depravity of our nature is such that we are wholly insufficient to reach that knowledge.”
Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 5, Section 9.
Martin Luther
Yet another one of the very founders of the Reformation was an enemy of Scholasticism in no uncertain terms.
“The whole world has gone mad with ‘a wisdom’ which is purely speculative and devised by reason, or by the Satanic agency of Aristotle. The theologians of the Scholastic school, especially Thomas [Aquinas], have taught nothing but Aristotle, yet they have written tons of books on theology.”
Luther’s Works, Vol. 31: Career of the Reformer I, p. 9.
“I lost all taste for theology and also for philosophy when I saw that Aristotle, with his misleading logic, and Thomas, with his doctrines, could not help me at all.”
Table Talk, No. 353, “Against Scholastic Theology”.
“I venture to say that Thomas Aquinas, that mighty master of errors, is among the damned, for he teaches plainly that the human will has some power to act according to righteousness.”
Luther’s Works, Vol. 54, Table Talk, No. 1884.
“Aristotle is to theology as darkness is to light. His Ethics is the worst enemy of grace. This I aver and will adhere to, for it is true.”
Luther’s Works, Vol. 31: Career of the Reformer I, p. 12.
“Accursed, lost, and destroyed forever be all those who seek to make philosophy of Holy Scripture!”
Luther’s Works, Vol. 54, Table Talk, No. 463.
“There is in Aristotle nothing but the doctrine of works and of glory, with this false and wicked opinion that reason can certainly and naturally act according to right and do good works.”
Luther’s Works, Vol. 31: Career of the Reformer I, p. 42.
“Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but – more frequently than not – struggles against the divine Word.”
Table Talk, No. 353, “Against Scholastic Theology”.
“Philosophy and theology cannot mingle or agree.”
Luther’s Works, Vol. 31: Career of the Reformer I, p. 12.
“Theologia crucis (the theology of the cross) completely upsets and overthrows everything, even reason itself, and it will not allow you to reason whether it is true and right, but you must believe it.”
Luther’s Works, Vol. 31: Career of the Reformer I, p. 60.
Thus, like an infernal dog, the pope dares to subject God’s Word to human creatures. `Tis just the same with Thomas Aquinas, who, in his books, argues, pro et contra, when he cites a passage in Scripture, he goes on: Aristotle maintains the contrary; so that the Holy Scripture must give place to Aristotle, a heathen. The world heeds not this abominable darkness, but condemns the truth, and falls into horrible errors. Therefore, let us make good use of our time, for things will not always remain as now.
Luther’s Works, Table Talk, No. 387.
Heinrich Bullinger
Heinrich Bullinger aided and succeeded Ulrich Zwingli, the founder of the Swiss Reformed Church in Switzerland, and was another very important figure in the reformation. Perhaps he was on board with Scholasticism? Nope, he wasn’t.
“There are given many reasons of natural philosophy; but the work of God doth still abide more great and wonderful than the wit or speech of man is able to comprehend or express it. Let no man therefore, that goeth about to know any certainty of God, descent into himself to search him out with thoughts of his own; neither let him ground his opinion upon men’s determinations and weak definitions: for otherwise he shall always worship the invention of his own heart, mere folly, trifles and foolish phantasies. But on the other side again, the man cannot choose but think rightly, judge truly, and speak well of God, that attributeth nothing to himself, deviseth nothing of his own brain, nor followeth the toys of other men’s inventing; but in all things giveth ear to the word of God, and followeth always his holy revelation.”
Henry Bullinger, The Decades of Henry Bullinger
“Therefore, let this stand as it were for a continual rule, that God cannot be rightly known but by his word; and that God is to be received and believed to be such an one as he revealeth himself unto us in his holy word. For no creature verily can better tell what, and what king of one God is, that God himself. “
Bullinger, The Decades of Henry Bullinger
“Thomas Aquinas, who, when rightly understood, makes the grace of Christ nothing but a sort of inferior help of works.”
Bullinger, The Decades of Henry Bullinger
“We do not condemn the true and pure philosophy; but we deny that the philosophy of Aristotle and of the Schoolmen can serve the purpose of true theology, seeing that it has been intermingled with a vast number of errors.”
Bullinger, The Decades of Henry Bullinger
“These writers [the Scholastics] are not to be wholly despised, nor are they to be made use of indiscriminately. For they have many things, and those not to be despised, concerning human affairs and the elements of nature, as they are called, but they are of no weight in things pertaining to Christ and his kingdom.”
Bullinger, The Decades of Henry Bullinger
John Owen
Books have been written attempting to appropriate John Owen as an ally of Scholasticism and Thomism. Just because a thinker may use terms that Thomas Aquinas invented, it doesn’t mean they’re on the same team. When we look at what John Owen actually thought, the intellectually honest person can see that John Owen was no ally of Scholasticism.
“I judge that metaphysical knowledge is quite without use in human life, but rather is harmful to it. If we set apart on the one hand whatever belongs to logic, and on the other what belongs to theology, then whatever remains in the middle ground is but a burdensome, useless, hotch-potch of obscure terms, vain ideas, and wordy abstractions which will never make any man better or more learned, more wise or more fitted for his duty to God and his fellow men. Let those who have the greatest reputation for metaphysical studies just open up and review the bookcases of their own hearts, and then declare truly whether any holiness, any uprightness, any wisdom, any prudence, any true learning at all has come their way by help and benefit of the study of metaphysics. So what need is there to add to poor students another cross of useless and bewildering ideas when their cry is already is that art is long and life but short?”
Owen, Biblical Theology
“From such sources have sprung all human speculations concerning vice and virtue, and all unaided theories about God and creation. Men who have been trained in the arts of the sophists have cultivated and expanded these studies until they have produced, as it were, a phantom of wisdom while adulterating, and all but fatally damaging, supernatural theology.”
Owen, Biblical Theology
“The wisdom of the Greeks, and the prudence of the Gentiles, are all foolishness.”
A Discourse Concerning Liturgies and Their Imposition, Chapter 5.
“Human wisdom and learning is to be valued and improved in its proper place and sphere; but it is dangerous when it would intrude itself into the things of God.”
The Works of John Owen, Vol. 3, p. 544.
“The frame and principles of the theology of the schools, are inconsistent with themselves, and the truths of the Gospel.”
John Owen, “A Display of Arminianism”
“This may suffice to have spoken concerning Thomas; to whose authorities we have not much regard, as proceeding merely from human reason, and grounded upon principles and arguments taken from Aristotle’s philosophy.”
John Owen, “A Display of Arminianism”
“It is true, Aquinas speaks learnedly and excellently, but he also speaks very confusedly, and his judgment was much corrupted with the mixture of Aristotle’s philosophy.”
John Owen, “Theologoumena Pantodapa”
“The way of the schoolmen is dry, unedifying, and insufficient to the conversion and edification of souls.”
John Owen, “Theologoumena Pantodapa”
Puritans on Scholasticism
It was also broadly accepted among the puritans that Greek philosophy and Scholasticism were dangerous and to be avoided. Here are a number of quotes from various puritans who were also strongly against Scholasticism.
“We must not think that any scholastic tenet, however venerable it may be, is to be retained unless it be agreeable to the Word of God.”
William Perkins, The Works of William Perkins, Vol. 2, p. 597.
“Theology is not to be learned from Aristotle but from the prophets and apostles.”
William Perkins, The Golden Chaine, Chapter 1.
“There is no need to drag in philosophy to illuminate the teachings of Christ.”
William Ames, The Marrow of Theology, Book 1, Chapter 1, Section 8.
“Philosophy is an enemy to the simplicity and purity of the Gospel.”
Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor, Chapter 3.
“Philosophy is a study of things in the dark, and so is useless for the teaching of theology.”
Thomas Boston, Human Nature in its Fourfold State, State 3.
“Vain philosophy is not the guide to heaven.”
Samuel Rutherford, The Trial and Triumph of Faith, Sermon 1.
“Scholastic theology is a barren tree, which beareth no fruit but vain contentions.”
Samuel Rutherford, Letters of Samuel Rutherford, Letter 32.
“We hold that God’s love can be better read and spelled in Christ’s cross and wounds, than in all the tenets of philosophers.”
Samuel Rutherford, Letters of Samuel Rutherford, Letter 123.
“Philosophy is the devils’ darling to open a gap for all prophaness and licentiousness.”
Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, Device 4.
“The learning of the philosopher doth not make the Christian, but oftentimes makes the man more averse to Christianity.”
John Flavel, The Works of John Flavel, Vol. 2, p. 464.
“The philosophers, the wise men of the world, through their vain speculations, became fools in the things of God.”
Thomas Goodwin, The Works of Thomas Goodwin, Vol. 7, p. 108.
“Philosophy, though it pretendeth to high things, yet doth it so conflict with the word of God.”
John Bunyan, The Works of John Bunyan, Vol. 1, p. 316.
“Let us not be too fond of Aristotle or his philosophy.”
Cotton Mather, The Christian Philosopher, Preface.
In Conclusion
As you can clearly see (if you’re eyes aren’t glued shut), at the very least, we certainly can’t say the reformers were generally friendly to Scholasticism. And to be intellectually and academically honest (something that’s hard to find these days in the academy) we can’t try to shoehorn Scholasticism into the theology of reformers who directly spoke out against it, in order to manipulate the masses into accepting our ideology.
We can’t pretend that the reformers weren’t outspoken against Scholasticism. Some of the largest figures in the Reformation and in Puritanism were very outspoken against Scholasticism and inconsistency of pagan philosophy with Biblical theology.
To truly be interested in reclaiming Reformed Christianity, seems to mean. If you don’t actually want to reclaim Reformed Christianity, but you want to reclaim pagan Philosophy, or Thomistic Scholasticism, or the Catholicism that burned the reformers alive, I suppose you can do that (Though I don’t recommend it. It has no value). At the very least be honest about it.
Ironically, the people today attempting to smash pagan philosophy and Scholasticism into Reformed Theology are the modern schoolmen, who John Calvin said in his time, were “so profane that one cannot touch them without receiving pollution.” It seems like they’re in the same business today.
Prior to the reformation, and even to this day, the Catholic Church is saturated in Scholasticism. Should we really be utilizing the same tools that the Catholic Church did at the height of their wickedness? If the Catholic church had fundamentally bad theology during the time of the reformation, creating the need for the reformation itself, shouldn’t we recognize that their loves were disordered and avoid falling into the same trap ourselves?
If reclaiming Reformed Christianity is a valuable task, we need to realize the thing that created the necessity for the Reformation in the first place. And that was abandoning the idea that the Word of God is authoritative. It was abandoning Sola Scriptura. Pagans and the darkness of their godless philosophy can never illuminate Scripture. When we darken Christianity with pseudo-intellectual paganism disguised as truth, we only corrupt and obscure the actual truth of God.
