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Galatians 3:28 in Thomas Aquinas’ Lectures on the Pauline Letters: A Study in Thomistic Reception

  • William M. Wright IV EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: April 9, 2015
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Abstract

This article examines Thomas Aquinas’ interpretation of Galatians 3:28 in his commentaries on the Pauline letters with an eye to Alisdair MacIntyre’s notion of “tradition-constituted enquiry.” An analysis of Aquinas’ multiple references to Gal 3:28 in his lectures on Paul reveal a consistent, theologically complex interpretation of this verse in terms of the regenerative grace of baptism in the rational soul, which is common to all human beings and prior to their differences. Aquinas’ reception of Paul demonstrates some convergences with MacIntyre’s account of “tradition-constituted enquiry,” suggesting further consideration of the latter as a helpful conceptual resource for reception history.


Corresponding author: Prof. William M. Wright IV, Department of Theology, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA, e-mail:

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Elizabeth Cochran for her assistance with aspects of this project. Any mistakes or oversights are my own.

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Published Online: 2015-4-9
Published in Print: 2015-4-1

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