Lonergan's Transposition of Aquinas' Notion of Wisdom
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Marquette University e-Publications@Marquette Dissertations, Theses, and Professional Dissertations (2009 -) Projects Transforming the Foundation: Lonergan's Transposition of Aquinas' Notion of Wisdom Juliana Vazquez Krivsky Marquette University Follow this and additional works at: https://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations_mu Part of the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Vazquez Krivsky, Juliana, "Transforming the Foundation: Lonergan's Transposition of Aquinas' Notion of Wisdom" (2019). Dissertations (2009 -). 888. https://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations_mu/888 ` TRANSFORMING THE FOUNDATION: LONERGAN’S TRANSPOSITION OF AQUINAS’ NOTION OF WISDOM by Juliana Vazquez Krivsky, B.A., M.A. A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School, Marquette University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Milwaukee, Wisconsin December 2019 ABSTRACT TRANSFORMING THE FOUNDATION: LONERGAN’S TRANSPOSITION OF AQUINAS’ NOTION OF WISDOM Juliana Vazquez Krivsky, B.A., M.A. Marquette University, 2019 Medieval philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas developed a multifaceted account of wisdom by integrating Aristotelian and Platonic lines of thought with the truths of Christianity. Bernard J.F. Lonergan, SJ (1904-1984), one of the leading Catholic systematic theologians of the twentieth century, transplanted the metaphysical insights of Aquinas into a contemporary philosophy and theology of conscious intentionality constructed around human experiencing, understanding, judging, deciding, and loving. This dissertation reiterates the deceptively simple question first posed by Frederick Crowe: Did Lonergan achieve a deliberate, thoroughgoing transposition of the Thomist metaphysical category of wisdom into a more cognitive-existential context? Through a chronological and detailed interpretation of primary texts, I conclude that wisdom, for Lonergan, is the development of fuller authenticity in the subject. This subjective development is sown in self-appropriation and reaches full bloom only in the radical shift in horizon that is conversion, especially in the transformation from isolation to transcendent being-in-love that constitutes religious conversion. Intrinsically connected to transcendental method, which already implies within its unfolding the operative (and potentially fourfold) conversion of the subject, the most sapiential components of Lonergan’s anthropology are self-appropriation and, ultimately, the self- surrender of completely unqualified love. Self-appropriation and self-surrender serve the same foundational, consummate, normative, and unifying roles ascribed to wisdom by Aquinas while also retaining the sapiential tasks of ordering and judging so important to the Angelic Doctor. In terms of methodology, I characterize my overall approach as interpretation, the second step in the process from data to results that is transcendental method. In Chapter One, I aim to discern exactly what Aquinas means by wisdom; in Chapters Two through Five, I ascertain what Lonergan means by wisdom in his early work and what his silence around wisdom means in his later work. And in the Conclusion, I submit a preliminary position on how the later Lonergan’s notion of wisdom as self-appropriation and self- surrender helps us imitate and love divine wisdom. This idea is worked out within the functional specialty of systematics and builds on Lonergan’s and Doran’s own systematic theology of the Trinity, which seeks further understanding of our share in the inner- Trinitarian relations, a central mystery of the Christian faith. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Juliana Vazquez Krivsky, B.A., M.A. Writing this dissertation has been a long and sometimes difficult journey, but there have been many oases along the way. When I began my master’s degree here at Marquette I was unsure of the direction my studies would take and was blessed to find an excellent and, in fact, life-changing introduction to Lonergan through Fr. Robert Doran., SJ. While much of my coursework has furthered both my faith and my intellectual development, my classes with Fr. Doran have perhaps most brightly reflected the joy and promise of what critical theological thought can discover about our world and its amazing Trinitarian God. As have others, I have found in Fr. Doran’s teaching and research a striking model of fides quaerens intellectum in a guild not always characterized by authenticity. His patience, understanding, and good counsel have been invaluable and appreciated beyond what words can communicate. Likewise, I would like to thank Dr. Wanda Zemler-Cizewski, Dr. Mark Johnson, and Dr. John Dadosky for serving on my board. In addition to their obvious expertise and scholarly contributions, I greatly respect and admire their theological wisdom and humility. It is an honor to learn from scholars of their caliber and an even greater privilege to witness their commitment to theology as a religious and spiritual practice. I am very grateful for Dr. Dadosky’s enlightening insight into the writing process and for Dr. Johnson’s and Dr. Zemler-Cizewski’s aid in expanding my knowledge of Aquinas, especially his historical context. I have been fortunate to receive the guidance of other professors as well. I would like to thank Dr. Susan Wood for her kind concern for my growth as a student and for providing me with diverse learning opportunities as her teaching assistant. I have benefited enormously from exploring ethics with Dr. M. Therese Lysaught and will always remember the intellectual hospitality and gracious collaboration she extended to her students. Finally, I want to acknowledge in a special way Dr. Danielle Nussberger, master pedagogue and mentor extraordinaire, who consistently shares her knowledge in a spirit of self-sacrificial charity and genuine cura personalis. Her constant encouragement, wisdom, and advice have helped me beyond measure and transparently revealed what it means to be a theologian truly in love with God. I have been equally happy to find at Marquette a supportive community of fellow students that have enlarged my vision of God, others, and myself no less than my academic interests. Karen Keen, Kirsten Guidero, Anne Carpenter, Chris Samuel, Paul Monson, Eric Vanden Eykel, Katy Leamy, Christine Wood, and Joseph Flipper have happily shared their knowledge and fellowship throughout the years, and I am a much better theologian and person for it. Jeremy Blackwood and Matthew Peters deserve particular mention for their generosity in conversation, especially for helping me during the “early days” as I grappled with Lonergan’s terminology and struggled to figure out what in God’s name he might mean by this mysterious “self-appropriation.” I have also learned much from the many scholars of the Lonergan community and am especially thankful for the friends I have gained through the Lonergan on the Edge conference. And for the precious gift of long-suffering friendship and the countless ways they have enriched my life outside of the academy, I am deeply grateful for the following dear individuals: Mary Stanton, Erin Stisser, Jen Husz, Daniel Towne, Susan Koehne, Katy Leamy, Christine Wood, and Joseph Flipper. My family has been extremely gregarious in helping me finish this degree; above all, I could never repay their faith in me. My mother’s love for books, my father’s belief in the transformative power of education, and their shared conviction on the value of hard work have shaped my love for learning. I am indebted to my brothers for their care and reassurance throughout the years, and my in-laws deserve special recognition for their consistent support of and sincere interest in my theological career. There could never be an adequate expression of gratitude for my husband Mike, whose love for the universe (or multiverse, as it may be) is a sure sign of wisdom and a profound source of inspiration for me and my work. His good humor, balanced perspective, and loving companionship have lightened my burdens. And his undying confidence in me and fervent support of all my endeavors have been shining stars along a sometimes uncertain path. I will never forget the sacrifices he made to help carry me one step closer to health and to finishing this project. Last but not least, I praise God for placing all of these wonderful people in my life and for teaching me how to begin new adventures, theological and otherwise, with greater hope and love. Thank You for being a God of seventy-seven chances, of unfathomable mercy, of unconditional love. Thank You for being a God that lifts up the weak, favors the poor, and heals the broken. Thank You for being a God that resurrects a new creation all around us and never ceases to illuminate all our dark nights. Thank You for giving all of us a share in your wisdom and for unveiling the beauty of the cross. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 1 The Secondary Conversation ........................................................................................2 2 Wisdom as Conversion and Love .................................................................................5 3 A Note on Method ........................................................................................................5 4 A Note on Transposition ...............................................................................................7 Chapter One: Aquinas on Sapientia ...................................................................................10