The legacy of Aquinas in John's Owen Theology

Thomas Aquinas certainly, can be said as one of the greatest Theologian ever lived. His influences are tremendous particularly in Catholic circle. He is the doctor of the Church, the patron of Christian tradition. He presented Christianity rationally to the public, in Medieval times. His passion for God and His intellect was beyond doubt. The synthesis between reason and faith make Philosophy and Theology converged. Both are needed to present the full reality- which is of God. Nevertheless, Thomas Aquinas influence is more than what meets the eyes. Not just influencing Catholic Theology as a whole, Aquinas arguably influence also the English Puritan Theologian, John Owen. Christopher Cleveland, an expert of Medieval Theology in his book,  Thomisim in John Owen, show how actually Aquinas's Theology has penetrated deeply into the heart of Owen's Theology. There are three areas on which Owen was indebted to Aquinas according to Cleveland: First, the concept of God as pure act. Second, the concept of infused habit of grace. Third,  The Christology of  John Owen

1. The concept of God as pure act

        Historically, Christian Theology has presented God as a being without any potentiality. The best description of it was best depicted by Aristotle's word, The Unmoved Mover, the pure actuality,  or unchanging being. Yet, the idea of pure act/being in Christian tradition was not derived from Philosophy but Scripture, as God revealed Himself in the "I am who I am" (Exodus 3:14).  Aquinas graps this truth in Scipture, and formulated his concept of God as the pure act, the God without any potential to be perfect and hence, God is simple. He possess no parts. He is whole and complete. God has no body, and from this, the understanding of the word act coming to take place. Thus, He is his own attributes. In his works, John Owen also use Aquinas's language to describe the simplicity of God. And in His works, The Doctrine of Saint's Perseverance, John Owen also argues that God is pure act, by quoting Aqinas to defend his point, in his writing.

2. The concept of infused habit of grace.

      In Classical Reformed understanding, justification affirm the status of the status of a sinner to saint with no internal change in individual whereas Justification, is a progressive process of change to be a true saint, in accordance with the divine Character. John Owen put the idea of Infusion of habit of Grace not in the area of Justification but sanctification. Only with this infusion of habit of grace, man has a power to gradually cultivate virtues that produce good. Owen distinguished between natural habit, acquired by  man natural effort to gain virtues, and habit of Grace, which acquired by God. Owen argues that the effort of natural habit will never, and cannot imitate the obedience to God, for the Glory of God. Therefore Owen agree specifically with Aquinas, apart from the moral habit cultivated by man, the ultimate virtues such as love, hope and faith can be grown only if, God infused it the soul through the work of the Holy Spirit. Those habit of grace in the soul of man is not a man's work but of God, a pure supernatural act of God. 

3. The Christology of John Owen

            In the council of Chalcedon in 451, Christ double nature was affirmed. Christ is truly God and truly man (Vere Deus, Vere Homo). Thomas Aquinas explored deeply the nature of  this Hypo static Union and come to conclusion that Christ's human nature is not an accident but of substance. There are three views on the Hypo static Union in the history of Christian thought. First,  accidental theory (AT). Second, Substance Theory (ST) and third, Habitus Theory (HT). The first theory argues that God assumed as human being, but has no mere human nature. The second theory argues that Christ divine and human nature is in union, in substantial relation. The third theory argues that Christ Human nature and Divine nature are separated. Aquinas himself dubbed to ST. In His work Christologia, Owen quoted Aquinas to elaborate the notion of Christ's double nature. It is an unity of nature in ST sense. Thus, Owen's rejection of the AT of Hypo-static union, clearly echoes Aquinas. 

       From these three aspects of Owen's Theology we can see how Aquinas influenced John Owen, a Puritan and non catholic Theologian. This truth share us some light, for there might exists some people who hazily reject all things derived from Aquinas, just simply because of his connection and assimilation to Catholic Tradition. As Christian, and reformed people, we need to be more open minded. To see a tradition without prejudice and stereotype per se. There are so many gems that springs from traditions, including Catholic tradition. To respect other traditions is to affirm the catholicity of the church. Yet, at the same time, Reformed people need to preserve still, the habit of critical mind, to judge every tradition it revere, in the light of the Word of God, the ultimate yard-stick of Truth.