Thanks. I'm reading through some of Thomas Aquinas' writings now. It's not an easy read so it may take some time.
As I explained in an earlier post, according to the scripture and the early church fathers, all concurred that the Holy Spirit is God and 1/3 part of the Trinity. So far I have found nothing in Thomas Aquinas' writings that disagree with scripture and the early church (albeit I just started looking through his many works).
I'm just puzzled where this "Holy Spirit is love" started from. This is a very humanistic view like saying "God is Love". God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is so much more than just love and if people think they can boil God down into this one attribute they should read Revelations.
The best I can tell from studying church history this theology began to affected the Catholic Church in the 1400-1600 timeframe during the time of the Renaissance, was a primary reason for the Reformation, and then affected the Protestant denominations through Arminianism.
Thomas Aquinas lived from 1227 to 1274, slightly ahead of the time when this humanistic view of God crept into the church. It begs the question as to whether this is what Thomas Aquinas actually believed or if he was reinterpreted by people with humanistic views at a later time.
"As I explained in an earlier post, according to the scripture and the early church fathers, all concurred that the Holy Spirit is God and 1/3 part of the Trinity. So far I have found nothing in Thomas Aquinas' writings that disagree with scripture and the early church (albeit I just started looking through his many works)." No disagreement from any Catholic on this.
I'm just puzzled where this "Holy Spirit is love" started from. This is a very humanistic view like saying "God is Love". God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is so much more than just love and if people think they can boil God down into this one attribute they should read Revelations.
The best I can tell from studying church history this theology began to affected the Catholic Church in the 1400-1600 timeframe during the time of the Renaissance, was a primary reason for the Reformation, and then affected the Protestant denominations through Arminianism.
Ephesians 3 -17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
1 John 4:7-8 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.