A short, practical theme: formation — how God shapes desire through rite, reading, and reason. Today we listen for formation: Orienor emphasizes how covenantal practices (plagues, tabernacle, Jordan) form a people to thirst and receive greater things; Augustine models a posture we must adopt—intellectual humility that allows Scripture to yield multiple, complementary truths; and Aquinas translates both into moral theology, showing how the intellect’s presentation of the good orders the will and how training the intellect (through study and habit) changes what moves our will. The practical takeaway: tend your mind with Christian practices and careful reading so your will is steadily trained toward the true and lasting good. (Isaiah 6:3; Romans 11:33; Hebrews 8:5)

Readings:

Orienor, De Principiis (Peri Archon), "On First Principles", Book 2, Chapters 24–26

Augustine, The Confessions, Book 10, Chapter 31 (Section 42)

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part 1, Question 8 (Combined Articles)

Explore the Project:

Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.com

Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpatton

Credo Courses – https://www.credocourses.com

Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org

#Orienor #Augustine #Aquinas #Formation #SpiritualFormation #HistoricalTheology