Thomistica

Syllogism 1: The Rule

P1. For a church to be true, the entirety of its doctrine must be true.

P2. The entirety of the doctrine Orthodox Church is not true.

C. Therefore, the Orthodox Church is not true.

 

Syllogism 2: Proving the Minor of Syllogism 1

P1. The Orthodox Church denies the Filioque doctrine.

P2. The Filioque doctrine is true.

C. Therefore, the entirety of Orthodox doctrine is not true.

 

Syllogism 3: Proving the Truth of the Middle Term of Syllogism 2

P1. The Filioque is true if the Spirit proceeds from the Son.

P2. The Spirit must proceed from the Son.

C. Therefore, the Filioque is true.

 

Syllogism 4: Proving the Minor of Syllogism 3

P1. If a person is prior in the logical order following immanent action, then that person is principle of the term produced.

P2. The Son is prior in the logical order following immanent action to the Spirit.

C. Therefore, the Son is principle of the Spirit. 

* Let us clarify two things. First, that infinite production differs from finite production in that it communicates the same existence convertible with essence. Second, that when essentially infinite subjects are ordered they are not ordered ontologically or according to finite categories and each subject shares the same infinitude.

 

Syllogism 5, Ver. 1: Proving the Consequence of Syllogism 4

P1. If a person is communicated divinity prior to another, He must possess the ability to communicate the divinity to the person that He is prior to. 

P2. The Son is communicated the divinity prior to the Spirit.

C. The term of intellection communicates the divinity to (is principle of) the Spirit.

 

Syllogism 5, Ver. 2: Proving the Consequence of Syllogism 4

P1. If one immanent action is exhausted in its term before another, then the term of the already exhausted action receives the other immanent action not yet exhausted.

P2. If the term of an action (Divine Person) is communicated the divinity with an action not yet exhausted, then He will be active when the action is exhausted.

C. Since the intellective act is exhausted prior to the volitional act, the term of the intellective act is principle of the spirative act.

* Let us clarify that the immanent actions are distinguished notionally as intellection and volition/spiration.

 

Syllogism 6: proving the Minor of Syllogism 4

P1. What is found to be in finite things must be found to be superiorly/preeminently in infinity.

P2. In finite, rational creatures, something must be known before it can be willed.

C. Preeminently in God, something must be known through intellection before it can be willed through volition.

* Let us clarify that the object or “something” known and willed is God’s essence, His infinitude, which is known and willed exhaustively.

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Article by Matthew Shuler