Principles of Catholic Theology, Book 2: On the Rational Credibility of Christianity

by Thomas Joseph White

Can a philosopher defend the rational warrant for belief in Christianity? Is it reasonable to be religious? Is it philosophically responsible to be a Christian who believes in the mystery of the Trinity? Principles of Catholic Theology explores these questions in a systematic way by considering questions of ultimate explanation. Why not hold that modern atheistic naturalism provides the best explanation of reality? Or, if there is a transcendent first principle that explains all of reality, is it impersonal rather than personal? Contrastingly, if monotheism constitutes the best explanation for created being, how can we reasonably believe in any particular revelation concerning God? What are the criteria for rational belief in revelation?

Thomas Joseph White, OP, considers these questions by exploring a series of the transcendentals (existence, oneness, truth, goodness, beauty); rational argument for the existence of God; the immateriality and subsistence after death of the personal soul of the human being; the historical and conceptual coherence of Trinitarian doctrine; and the reasonableness of the natural desire to see God. The aim of Principles of Catholic Theology , Book 2 is to place contemporary natural reason in profound dialogue with the Catholic faith and to think about ways that we can consent to the profound mystery of the Holy Trinity that are in robust concord with the knowledge obtained from philosophical, scientific, and historical sources.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy

350 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2024

About the author

Father Thomas Joseph White, O.P. is rector of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome (the “Angelicum”). Fr. White is an expert in Thomistic metaphysics, Christology and Roman Catholic-Reformed ecumenical dialogue. Fr. White converted to Catholicism at age 22, while studying at Brown University.