Scotus and the Immaculate Conception

[theidler]

I tried asking this question in the “Ask an apologist” forum for a more official answer, but as with all my questions there, they never get answered for some reason. So I thought I would ask it here.
Why was Duns Scotus’ defense of the Immaculate Conception accepted over the teachings of other great medieval thinkers who denied it as such (Aquinas, Bonaventure, Bernard, etc.). One would think Aquinas, being the philosopher and theologian of the Church, would have trumped Scotus in terms of authority.
I believe in the Immaculate Conception, don’t get me wrong. But I can’t understand why Scotus was accepted over Aquinas, and what the need was to define the doctrine in the first place.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I tried asking this question in the “Ask an apologist” forum for a more official answer, but as with all my questions there, they never get answered for some reason. So I thought I would ask it here.
Why was Duns Scotus’ defense of the Immaculate Conception accepted over the teachings of other great medieval thinkers who denied it as such (Aquinas, Bonaventure, Bernard, etc.). One would think Aquinas, being the philosopher and theologian of the Church, would have trumped Scotus in terms of authority.
I believe in the Immaculate Conception, don’t get me wrong. But I can’t understand why Scotus was accepted over Aquinas, and what the need was to define the doctrine in the first place.

Because St. Aquinas has no inherent authority. Everything he wrote down had to be accepted by the Church. No matter how great a mind he is, he is not a bishop. Thus he has no authority whatsoever to promulgate a teaching in any capacity.

 

[MarkThompson]

I tried asking this question in the “Ask an apologist” forum for a more official answer, but as with all my questions there, they never get answered for some reason. So I thought I would ask it here.
Why was Duns Scotus’ defense of the Immaculate Conception accepted over the teachings of other great medieval thinkers who denied it as such (Aquinas, Bonaventure, Bernard, etc.). One would think Aquinas, being the philosopher and theologian of the Church, would have trumped Scotus in terms of authority.
I believe in the Immaculate Conception, don’t get me wrong. But I can’t understand why Scotus was accepted over Aquinas, and what the need was to define the doctrine in the first place.

Because Duns Scotus was right, and the others were wrong, and the Church was divinely guided to pursue the truth and not fall into error.

No really, that’s why!

 

[theidler]

Because Duns Scotus was right, and the others were wrong, and the Church was divinely guided to pursue the truth and not fall into error.

No really, that’s why!

Fair enough, and as a soon-to be baptized Catholic, I accept that. But I was wondering the specific reasons why, theologically, the Church accepted Scotus over Aquinas, Bonaventure, Bernard, et. al.

 

[ALotLessThumb]

To paraphrase Pascal: Even if there is error promulgated in the modern church, we have the good fortune of the fathers to correct course. The Immaculate Conception is something that we find in the early fathers preceding even the greatest of our medievalists. It is interesting how Saint Bonaventure and Saint Thomas (who briefly worked together on the Summa) were of one mind in rejecting the Immaculate Conception; but this is intertwined with their other notions, and even if they aren’t in error in other regards, their intellects do not possess the wealth of knowledge of the church as handed down through the ages.

 

[theidler]

To paraphrase Pascal: Even if there is error promulgated in the modern church, we have the good fortune of the fathers to correct course. The Immaculate Conception is something that we find in the early fathers preceding even the greatest of our medievalists. It is interesting how Saint Bonaventure and Saint Thomas (who briefly worked together on the Summa) were of one mind in rejecting the Immaculate Conception; but this is intertwined with their other notions, and even if they aren’t in error in other regards, their intellects do not possess the wealth of knowledge of the church as handed down through the ages.

Where in the Fathers do we find the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception as Scotus argued it? This would be great to know for apologetics.

 

[piejesu]

Where in the Fathers do we find the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception as Scotus argued it? This would be great to know for apologetics.

You might find the link below informative.

staycatholic.com/ecf_immaculate_conception.htm