Faith Before Knowledge

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In the order of knowledge and faith, faith precedes knowledge. A thread on Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas — the AAA team of faith and knowledge, or the relation of faith and philosophy:

Augustine, for example, can write: "in order that we may understand it, let us first believe" (Homily 39).

Later in history, Anselm will echo Augustine in his Prologian by saying, "For I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe so that I may understand" (Proslogian §1) [Neque enim quaero intelligere ut credam, sed credo ut intelligam].

Thomas Aquinas too will note in Summa Theologiae 1.1Q.A8 that "faith rests upon infallible truth" by which he means "Holy Writ" (the Bible).

Put more fully, Aquinas says, "For our faith rests upon the revelation made to the apostles and prophets who wrote the canonical books, and not on the revelations (if any such there are) made to other doctors."

This maps unto experience. We tend to have greater moral problems to faith than intellectual. We have both, to be sure. But I am reminded of Augustine who after clearing away the intellectual problems of his faith felt that he could not give up lust.

He prayed to God, "Give me chastity and continence, just not yet!" Yet God answered his weak prayer by awakening him to the Scriptures. Speaking through children, God pointed Augustine to Romans 13:13–14:

"Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."

Following the example of Antony who heard the Word read as a direct word for him to sell all that he has to follow Jesus, Augustine obeys the Word of God.

And he immediately repents and follows Christ fully. Interestingly, it's only after he puts away sinful lusts and passions that he can catch a glimpse of God as he does in Book IX of the Confessions in Ostia.

He has come to know God, but he first needed to believe, to repent, to follow him. The order of knowledge and belief begins wth faith, then knowledge.

So in the Prooemium of his Prologian, Anselm can speak of "faith seeking understanding or Fides quaerens intellectum.