What's the origin of faith as knowledge, assent and trust?

[spoiltvictorian]

Someone told me that Catholics believe in knowledge and assent but not trust. They base it on this quote of Aquinas from ST:

"Two things are requisite for faith. First, that the things which are
of faith should be proposed to man: this is necessary in order that
man believe anything explicitly. The second thing requisite for faith
is the assent of the believer to the things which are proposed to him. "

I thought knowledge, assent and trust had to do with dead faith without works vs. living faith with works. I read Aquinas here and I assume his very definition of faith involves trust.

Where did this way of seeing faith come from, what does it mean and what do Catholics, especially Aquinas, think about it?

 

[linuxgeek71]

I thought knowledge, assent and trust had to do with dead faith without works vs. living faith with works. I read Aquinas here and I assume his very definition of faith involves trust.

Where did this way of seeing faith come from, what does it mean and what do Catholics, especially Aquinas, think about it?

What do you mean by trust? Once you know of something and assent to it, where does trust come into play? Why would you assent to something you don’t trust?

 

[spoiltvictorian]

What do you mean by trust? Once you know of something and assent to it, where does trust come into play? Why would you assent to something you don’t trust?

That’s what I think, but it is important to know what exactly is meant by each word, especially what the words meant when the definition was first articulated.

 

[linuxgeek71]

That’s what I think, but it is important to know what exactly is meant by each word, especially what the words meant when the definition was first articulated.

Defining the words knowledge and assent is non trivial. Epistemology is an entire field of philosophy that tries to define knowledge. For Aquinas it is probably something along the lines of a justified true belief, in modern theology it is undoubtedly more complicated. Assent is an intellectual submission.

You still haven’t said what you mean by trust though. Maybe what you meant by it was little more than the justification step to knowledge.

 

[spoiltvictorian]

I don’t know what I mean. I think they mean the active faith that justifies. What I’d really like to know is where all of this comes from. As I pointed out to them, Christ says those who hear the Word of God and believe are saved. That’s two things. They responded that Felix heard Paul’s preaching, was afraid (assenting that the preaching is true), but instead of trusting it he sent Paul away.

 

[linuxgeek71]

I don’t know what I mean. I think they mean the active faith that justifies. What I’d really like to know is where all of this comes from. As I pointed out to them, Christ says those who hear the Word of God and believe are saved. That’s two things. They responded that Felix heard Paul’s preaching, was afraid (assenting that the preaching is true), but instead of trusting it he sent Paul away.

I believe I see what you are getting at now. To us, Catholics that is, faith, justification, and salvation are different things. When we say faith we mean what Aquinas said. That is, essentially, our definition.

We do not hold that faith, in this sense, can save you. Works are needed as well, works being a genuine attempt to follow God’s law. Some Protestants call this “living faith,” but this is just a word game. No matter what you call it a genuine change of heart must occur.