The following excerpt is the very first article of the first question in St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica, in which here he discusses the necessity of the study of Sacred Doctrine, or theology.
Whether, besides philosophy, any further doctrine is required?
Objection 1: It seems that, besides philosophical science, we have no need of
any further knowledge. For man should not seek to know what is above
reason: "Seek not the things that are too high for thee" (Ecclus. 3:22).
But whatever is not above reason is fully treated of in philosophical
science. Therefore any other knowledge besides philosophical science is
superfluous.
Objection 2: Further, knowledge can be concerned only with being, for nothing
can be known, save what is true; and all that is, is true. But everything
that is, is treated of in philosophical science---even God Himself; so
that there is a part of philosophy called theology, or the divine
science, as Aristotle has proved (Metaph. vi). Therefore, besides
philosophical science, there is no need of any further knowledge.
On the contrary, It is written (2 Tim. 3:16): "All Scripture, inspired
of God is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in
justice." Now Scripture, inspired of God, is no part of philosophical
science, which has been built up by human reason. Therefore it is useful
that besides philosophical science, there should be other knowledge, i.e.
inspired of God.
I answer that, It was necessary for man's salvation that there should be
a knowledge revealed by God besides philosophical science built up by
human reason. Firstly, indeed, because man is directed to God, as to an
end that surpasses the grasp of his reason: "The eye hath not seen, O
God, besides Thee, what things Thou hast prepared for them that wait for
Thee" (Is. 66:4). But the end must first be known by men who are to
direct their thoughts and actions to the end. Hence it was necessary for
the salvation of man that certain truths which exceed human reason should
be made known to him by divine revelation. Even as regards those truths
about God which human reason could have discovered, it was necessary that
man should be taught by a divine revelation; because the truth about God
such as reason could discover, would only be known by a few, and that
after a long time, and with the admixture of many errors. Whereas man's
whole salvation, which is in God, depends upon the knowledge of this
truth. Therefore, in order that the salvation of men might be brought
about more fitly and more surely, it was necessary that they should be
taught divine truths by divine revelation. It was therefore necessary
that besides philosophical science built up by reason, there should be a
sacred science learned through revelation.
Reply to Objection 1: Although those things which are beyond man's knowledge may
not be sought for by man through his reason, nevertheless, once they are
revealed by God, they must be accepted by faith. Hence the sacred text
continues, "For many things are shown to thee above the understanding of
man" (Ecclus. 3:25). And in this, the sacred science consists.
Reply to Objection 2: Sciences are differentiated according to the various means
through which knowledge is obtained. For the astronomer and the physicist
both may prove the same conclusion: that the earth, for instance, is
round: the astronomer by means of mathematics (i.e. abstracting from
matter), but the physicist by means of matter itself. Hence there is no
reason why those things which may be learned from philosophical science,
so far as they can be known by natural reason, may not also be taught us
by another science so far as they fall within revelation. Hence theology
included in sacred doctrine differs in kind from that theology which is
part of philosophy.
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