Close Summary of the First Article of the Summa

Is anything besides philosophy and science required for the Christian? It seems that we have no need of further knowledge beyond these. After all, the Scriptures say, "seek not the things that are too high for thee" (Sirach 3.22). Philosophy and science treat all that is within reason, so anything beyond that is superfluous. All that is -- that has being, including God -- is treated by philosophy and science, so nothing further is needful.

But this is mistaken. The Scriptures also claim Scripture to be inspired of God and useful (2 Timothy 3.16). The Scriptures, however, are not part of philosophy and science, which is built by human reason. Therefore, there is other knowledge, viz., that inspired by God, that is useful. Why is this?

Human beings are created in such a way that they are directed toward God as their end. Now, God surpasses the grasp of human reason. But one cannot be directed in thought and action toward an end that is unknown. Thus, certain truths which exceed human reason must be made known by divine revelation. Even some truths which reason could discover need to be revealed through revelation, because if philosophy and science were the only way to discover them, they would be known only by a few and after long periods of study. Besides philosophy and science, then, there needs to be a sacred science learned through revelation.

Thus, while those things beyond human reason should not be sought by human reason, as the Scriptures say, those things revealed by God should be accepted as such. Hence the Scriptures continue, "for many things are shown to thee above the understanding" (Sirach 3.25). Philosophy and science treat all that has being, including God, but they do not do so exhaustively. In the same way that an astronomer and physicist both know the earth to be round, but by different means, philosophy and science attain the same theological knowledge as sacred science, but by different means.

Philosophy and science are not alone sufficient; divine revelation is also needful.