Republic of the Philippines

NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Graduate School Program
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Ma. Julie Anne C. Gajes

MAT English
Socio-Philosophical and Psychological Foundations of Education
Ms. Jacqueline V. Iglesias
Scholasticism: Peter Abelard and Thomas Aquinas

Peter Abelard and Thomas Aquinas were both men of the cloth. They both served God in
the way that they believe was the best form of service. Although their manners of service were in
contrast with one another, it is undeniable that both of them made a difference in the field of
education, philosophy and theology.
The times in which they lived in were the times were in Catholicism was at its prime.
During this time, what the seat said was law and whoever would say otherwise would be branded
as a heretic and would suffer excommunication.
Peter Abelards greatest contribution and influence to his time, philosophy and theology
was his analysis about the idea of sin and that it is not mans action which would be our basis for
judging him but his intention. We must remember that during his time, most of the world were
engulfed in a sea of unknowingness and that people thought that even if it was by accident that
they sinned that they would still suffer the same way as a person who intentionally sinned.
During that time it was believed that a sinner can still buy his way to heaven by donating money
to the Catholic Church and this is where Abelard made his idea about sin because as a celebrated
lecturer, he saw how important penance was and he was determined to make the idea of penance
equal to all people. He concocted his idea of sin so people who cannot afford to pay their way
into being forgiven can be forgiven.

Peter Abelard stressed the subjective intention as determining, if not the moral character,
at least the moral value, of human action. His thought in this direction is remarkable because
other philosophers did not venture in this direction the same he did in the field of morals.
Another contribution of Abelard was his emphasis on the goodness of God when he
formed the Theory of Limbo which went against the teachings of the Church that infants who die
before they are baptized are automatically thrown to hell. This theory is very moving because we
all know that infants are innocents who have never even committed a single sin and so the idea
of them being thrown to hell is appalling and nerve wrecking. He also emphasized that infant
baptism only washes away original sin and is not an automatic passport to heaven.
Abelard also maintained that language itself cannot determine the reality of things, but
that physics must do so, this was his well-remembered debate on the problem of universals
which nearly had him excommunicated and banned from Paris for quite some time.
His life itself is already a teaching for those who would want to enter the priesthood. A
priest cannot be both a servant to the people and to his family. This is the main reason that priests
should remain wifeless and childless. A priest who has a family would, of course, prioritize his
family over his parishioners. While it is true that God asks a lot from them, a priest or a nun
should first understand why they would like to serve as a priest or as a nun before promising
themselves to the religious order.
Thomas Aquinas greatest contribution to theology and philosophy was his teaching which
blended both studies when he reconciled his teaching with Aristotles claim that humans highest
and defining power is reason by saying that reason needed faith. His work, Summa Theologica,
where he stressed the coexistence and connection between reason and faith immersed people
from the belief that Catholics should be blind followers and that in order to have faith, there

should be a reason for it. Where Aristotle fell short by explaining the universe with reason,
Aquinas said that divine revelation through faith could lead Christians to the truth of their
existence.
Another teaching of Thomas Aquinas which struck me the most was his theory of human
nature wherein he stressed that the human individual is composed of a body and soul and that the
body plays the part of matter while the soul acts as the substantial form. According to Aquinas,
man is composed of both body and soul. Neither the soul nor body is complete. They give
themselves to each other, and form one unit. It is because of man's soul that the functions of man
include the specific human powers of knowledge and will. Animals perceive issues such as
friendliness and hostility by natural instinct, while man compares things. Man's will is different
from the sensitive appetite because it desires good in general compared to the sensitive appetite
which focuses on particular objects desired by the senses. This theory touched me the most
because it gives me hope that all the problems that I am experiencing right now are only for the
moment and that when I die, my soul is freed and is made to join the ones who I have loved and
lost.