Whether a Religious Order Should Be Established for the Purpose of
Study?
Objection 1: It would seem that a religious order should not be
established for the purpose of study. For it is written (Ps. 70:15,
16): "Because I have not known letters [Douay: 'learning'], I will
enter into the powers of the Lord," i.e. "Christian virtue,"
according to a gloss. Now the perfection of Christian virtue,
seemingly, pertains especially to religious. Therefore it is not for
them to apply themselves to the study of letters.
Obj. 2: Further, that which is a source of dissent is unbecoming to
religious, who are gathered together in the unity of peace. Now study
leads to dissent: wherefore different schools of thought arose among
the philosophers. Hence Jerome (Super Epist. ad Tit. 1:5) says:
"Before a diabolical instinct brought study into religion, and people
said: I am of Paul, I of Apollo, I of Cephas," etc. Therefore it
would seem that no religious order should be established for the
purpose of study.
Obj. 3: Further, those who profess the Christian religion should
profess nothing in common with the Gentiles. Now among the Gentiles
were some who professed philosophy, and even now some secular persons
are known as professors of certain sciences. Therefore the study of
letters does not become religious.
_On the contrary,_ Jerome (Ep. liii ad Paulin.) urges him to acquire
learning in the monastic state, saying: "Let us learn on earth those
things the knowledge of which will remain in heaven," and further on:
"Whatever you seek to know, I will endeavor to know with you."
I answer that As stated above (A. 2), religion may be ordained to the
active and to the contemplative life. Now chief among the works of
the active life are those which are directly ordained to the
salvation of souls, such as preaching and the like. Accordingly the
study of letters is becoming to the religious life in three ways.
First, as regards that which is proper to the contemplative life, to
which the study of letters helps in a twofold manner. In one way by
helping directly to contemplate, namely by enlightening the
intellect. For the contemplative life of which we are now speaking is
directed chiefly to the consideration of divine things, as stated
above (Q. 180, A. 4), to which consideration man is directed by
study; for which reason it is said in praise of the righteous (Ps.
1:2) that "he shall meditate day and night" on the law of the Lord,
and (Ecclus. 39:1): "The wise man will seek out the wisdom of all the
ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets." In another way the
study of letters is a help to the contemplative life indirectly, by
removing the obstacles to contemplation, namely the errors which in
the contemplation of divine things frequently beset those who are
ignorant of the scriptures. Thus we read in the Conferences of the
Fathers (Coll. x, 3) that the Abbot Serapion through simplicity fell
into the error of the Anthropomorphites, who thought that God had a
human shape. Hence Gregory says (Moral. vi) that "some through
seeking in contemplation more than they are able to grasp, fall away
into perverse doctrines, and by failing to be the humble disciples of
truth become the masters of error." Hence it is written (Eccles.
2:3): "I thought in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I
might turn my mind to wisdom and might avoid folly."
Secondly, the study of letters is necessary in those religious orders
that are founded for preaching and other like works; wherefore the
Apostle (Titus 1:9), speaking of bishops to whose office these acts
belong, says: "Embracing that faithful word which is according to
doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to
convince the gainsayers." Nor does it matter that the apostles were
sent to preach without having studied letters, because, as Jerome
says (Ep. liii ad Paulin.), "whatever others acquire by exercise and
daily meditation in God's law, was taught them by the Holy Ghost."
Thirdly, the study of letters is becoming to religious as regards
that which is common to all religious orders. For it helps us to
avoid the lusts of the flesh; wherefore Jerome says (Ep. cxxv ad
Rust. Monach.): "Love the science of the Scriptures and thou shalt
have no love for carnal vice." For it turns the mind away from
lustful thoughts, and tames the flesh on account of the toil that
study entails according to Ecclus. 31:1, "Watching for riches*
consumeth the flesh." [*_Vigilia honestatis._ St. Thomas would seem
to have taken _honestas_ in the sense of virtue]. It also helps to
remove the desire of riches, wherefore it is written (Wis. 7:8):
"I . . . esteemed riches nothing in comparison with her," and (1
Macc. 12:9): "We needed none of these things," namely assistance from
without, "having for our comfort the holy books that are in our
hands." It also helps to teach obedience, wherefore Augustine says
(De oper. Monach. xvii): "What sort of perverseness is this, to wish
to read, but not to obey what one reads?" Hence it is clearly fitting
that a religious order be established for the study of letters.
Reply Obj. 1: This commentary of the gloss is an exposition of the
Old Law of which the Apostle says (2 Cor. 3:6): "The letter killeth."
Hence not to know letters is to disapprove of the circumcision of the
"letter" and other carnal observances.
Reply Obj. 2: Study is directed to knowledge which, without charity,
"puffeth up," and consequently leads to dissent, according to Prov.
13:10, "Among the proud there are always dissensions": whereas, with
charity, it "edifieth and begets concord." Hence the Apostle after
saying (1 Cor. 1:5): "You are made rich . . . in all utterance and in
all knowledge," adds (1 Cor. 1:10): "That you all speak the same
thing, and that there be no schisms among you." But Jerome is not
speaking here of the study of letters, but of the study of
dissensions which heretics and schismatics have brought into the
Christian religion.
Reply Obj. 3: The philosophers professed the study of letters in the
matter of secular learning: whereas it becomes religious to devote
themselves chiefly to the study of letters in reference to the
doctrine that is "according to godliness" (Titus 1:1). It becomes not
religious, whose whole life is devoted to the service of God, to seek
for other learning, save in so far as it is referred to the sacred
doctrine. Hence Augustine says at the end of _De Musica_ vi, 17:
"Whilst we think that we should not overlook those whom heretics
delude by the deceitful assurance of reason and knowledge, we are
slow to advance in the consideration of their methods. Yet we should
not be praised for doing this, were it not that many holy sons of
their most loving mother the Catholic Church had done the same under
the necessity of confounding heretics."
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