The Thomistic Institute Key Principles for a Happy Life | Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.
Jun 2, 2025
Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P., an adjunct professor of dogmatic theology and assistant director at the Dominican House of Studies, dives deep into the philosophy of happiness. He discusses the concept of 'beatitude' and our divine invitation to fulfillment. Highlighting the importance of knowing and loving God, Fr. Pine explores human nature's duality and the hierarchy of pursuits that align with our ultimate purpose. He emphasizes that genuine action, prudence, and divine grace are essential paths to true happiness.
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God's Perfect Beatitude
- God is perfectly happy and complete, lacking nothing and not needing anything from us or creation.
- Creation is God's overflow of beatitude, inviting us to share in His perfect happiness and life.
Beatitude as Knowing and Loving
- Beatitude involves both the object (God) and the subject (our activity of knowing and loving Him).
- Our happiness entails actively realizing our nature as knowers and lovers, uniquely human capacities.
Human Nature as Embodied Souls
- Human nature is a complex composite: embodied souls with powers like intellect and will.
- These spiritual powers enable us to engage immaterial realities such as truth and goodness beyond physical senses.
