ST II-II, q. 2
Of the Act of Faith
We must now consider the act of faith, and (1) the internal act; (2) the external act.
Under the first head there are ten points of inquiry:
(1) What is "to believe," which is the internal act of faith?
(2) In how many ways is it expressed?
(3) Whether it is necessary for salvation to believe in anything above natural reason?
(4) Whether it is necessary to believe those things that are attainable by natural reason?
(5) Whether it is necessary for salvation to believe certain things explicitly?
(6) Whether all are equally bound to explicit faith?
(7) Whether explicit faith in Christ is always necessary for salvation?
(8) Whether it is necessary for salvation to believe in the Trinity explicitly?
(9) Whether the act of faith is meritorious?
(10) Whether human reason diminishes the merit of faith?
Articles
- a. 1Whether to believe is to think with assent?
- a. 2Whether the act of faith is suitably distinguished as believing God, believing in a God and believing in God?
- a. 3Whether it is necessary for salvation to believe anything above the natural reason?
- a. 4Whether it is necessary to believe those things which can be proved by natural reason?
- a. 5Whether man is bound to believe anything explicitly?
- a. 6Whether all are equally bound to have explicit faith?
- a. 7Whether it is necessary for the salvation of all, that they should believe explicitly in the mystery of Christ?
- a. 8Whether it is necessary for salvation to believe explicitly in the Trinity?
- a. 9Whether to believe is meritorious?
- a. 10Whether reasons in support of what we believe lessen the merit of faith?