Saint Peter Lombard and the Wall of Fire
The first Scholastic (1100-1160), on why we do theology:
"Earnestly longing with the poor woman to place something from our neediness and meagerness into the guardhouse of the Lord's treasury, and to scale its steep (steps), we have presumed to do a work beyond our strength. We place our trust in its consummation and recompense in the Samaritan's labors, who, having offered two denarii to care for the half-alive man, professed to render the rest to the one paying out more.
The truth of the One proffering delights us, but the immensity of this labor frightens; the desire of making progress exhorts, but the infirmity of failing discourages; but this infirmity is conquered by zeal for the house of God. We have caught fire from this zeal, by which I am catching fire to wall our faith against the error of carnal and animal men... we have studied to wall the Church with the round shields of the Tower of David, and to open those things withdrawn from theological inquiries and to put on display the knowledge of the sacraments to the limited extent of our understanding...to serve the laudable studies in Christ for those entreating us, with tongue and stylus. As a chariot in us, the charity of Christ puts us in motion."
- Prologue to the Sentences
(MM's translation)
"Earnestly longing with the poor woman to place something from our neediness and meagerness into the guardhouse of the Lord's treasury, and to scale its steep (steps), we have presumed to do a work beyond our strength. We place our trust in its consummation and recompense in the Samaritan's labors, who, having offered two denarii to care for the half-alive man, professed to render the rest to the one paying out more.
The truth of the One proffering delights us, but the immensity of this labor frightens; the desire of making progress exhorts, but the infirmity of failing discourages; but this infirmity is conquered by zeal for the house of God. We have caught fire from this zeal, by which I am catching fire to wall our faith against the error of carnal and animal men... we have studied to wall the Church with the round shields of the Tower of David, and to open those things withdrawn from theological inquiries and to put on display the knowledge of the sacraments to the limited extent of our understanding...to serve the laudable studies in Christ for those entreating us, with tongue and stylus. As a chariot in us, the charity of Christ puts us in motion."
- Prologue to the Sentences
(MM's translation)
posted by MM at 8:26 AM
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