Aquinas held faith provable only as non-contradictory, not demonstrable

Evidence

Thomas is clear about the limits of the defensive arguments he provides: … First of all I wish to warn you that in the disputations with unbelievers about articles of the faith, you should not try to prove the Faith by necessary reasons. This would belittle the sublimity of the Faith, whose truth exceeds not only human minds but also those of angels; we believe in them only because they are revealed by God. … Yet whatever comes from the Supreme Truth cannot be false, and what is not false cannot be repudiated by any necessary reason. Just as our Faith cannot be proved by necessary reasons, because it exceeds the human mind, so because of its truth it cannot be refuted by any necessary reason. So any Christian disputing about the articles of the Faith should not try to prove the Faith, but defend the Faith. Thus blessed Peter [1 Pet. 3:15] did not say “Always have your proof,” but “your answer ready,” so that reason can show that what the Catholic Faith holds is not false. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1229 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

The Dominican missionary strategy was in line with developing thirteenthcentury doctrine, which increasingly affirmed that the truth of Christianity could not rationally be proven, for if it could, there would be no merit in faith (in the oft-evoked words of Pope Gregory I). Reason was an arm that could be used offensively to prove the “irrationality” of rival creeds or defensively to defend Christianity against the charge of irrationality, but it could not prove the Christian truth, for faith was indispensable. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1220 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Aquinas denied Islam any authority because it lacked miracles and true documents; Thomas Aquinas held that reason can defend faith but never prove it — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1229; Thirteenth-century Christian doctrine held that faith must not be rationally provable — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1220 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Thomas Aquinas held that reason can defend faith but never prove it #corroborates (1.00) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1229
• Thirteenth-century Christian doctrine held that faith must not be rationally provable #corroborates (1.00) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1220
• Scholastic theology assumed faith could be proven rationally to infidels #complicates (1.00)
• Llull asserted the articles of faith cannot be proven but only approached through faith #exemplifies (1.00)
• Medieval religious pluralism was impossible because one God implied one true religion #complicates (1.00) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 49