The Gift and Fruits of the Holy Spirit | Prof. Eleonore Stump
Nov 15, 2019
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Prof. Eleonore Stump discusses the impact of the Holy Spirit on virtues and moral transformation. Topics include courage as a gift, virtues like love and patience, faithfulness, modesty, and the importance of maintaining a moral compass. The podcast also explores letting go of self-centered desires, embracing God's grace, and various forms of baptism.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit enable a close connection with God.
Virtues are infused by the Holy Spirit, not achieved through individual effort.
The fruits of the Holy Spirit reflect inward perfection and joy from God's love.
Deep dives
Aquinas' Ethical Theory Centered Around the Holy Spirit
Aquinas' ethical theory emphasizes the importance of virtues, gifts, and fruits of the Holy Spirit in living a good Christian life. He highlights the idea that when a person is in grace, they become friends with God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are described as habits that enable a person to readily obey the Holy Spirit, fostering a close personal connection with God.
The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Transformative Virtues
The moment of surrender to the love of God initiates the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, bringing all virtues, gifts, and fruits simultaneously. Aquinas differentiates his view from Pelagianism, emphasizing that virtue is not achieved solely through individual effort but is infused by the Holy Spirit. The transformative virtues include theological virtues like faith, hope, and love, along with moral virtues like wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance.
Significance of Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Aquinas distinguishes between the seven standard gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as piety, fear of the Lord, fortitude, wisdom, understanding, counsel, and knowledge, and special spiritual gifts. These additional gifts are bestowed by God for unique callings, reflecting a personalized aspect of spiritual development beyond the fundamental virtues. The gifts serve as dynamic aids in adhering to the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Manifestation of Fruits of the Holy Spirit
The fruits of the Holy Spirit, including love, joy, peace, patience, and long-suffering, reveal the inward perfection and joy that stem from God's love. Aquinas underlines the ultimate perfection attained through the presence of divine love, leading to abiding in God. These fruits reflect a deep spiritual connection that enhances virtues, enabling individuals to embody goodness, benevolence, mildness, and faithfulness.
Relationship Dynamics with God, Neighbors, and Oneself
The interplay between personal surrender to God's love, virtues instilled by the Holy Spirit, and ethical conduct towards others and oneself forms a holistic framework of spiritual growth. Aquinas emphasizes the importance of humility and openness to divine grace, rejecting self-serving desires in favor of genuine devotion to God and compassionate interactions with others. The transformative power of inner virtues and gifts aligns individuals with divine principles, fostering a harmonious equilibrium in their spiritual journey.
This lecture was given at St. Savior's Priory (Dublin) on 9 October 2019.
Eleonore Stump is the Robert J. Henle Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University, where she has taught since 1992. She is also Honorary Professor at Wuhan University and at the Logos Institute, St. Andrews, and she is a Professorial Fellow at Australian Catholic University. She has published extensively in philosophy of religion, contemporary metaphysics, and medieval philosophy. Her books include her major study Aquinas (Routledge, 2003), her extensive treatment of the problem of evil, Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering (Oxford, 2010), and her far-reaching examination of human redemption, Atonement (Oxford, 2018). She has given the Gifford Lectures (Aberdeen, 2003), the Wilde lectures (Oxford, 2006), the Stewart lectures (Princeton, 2009) and the Stanton lectures (Cambridge, 2018). She is past president of the Society of Christian Philosophers, the American Catholic Philosophical Association, and the American Philosophical Association, Central Division; and she is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
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