The Theology of the Senses of Scripture According to Joseph Ratzinger and Thomas Aquinas

Joseph Ratzinger recognized the doctrine of the four senses of Scripture, although he reinterpreted it in a new context. He referred with appreciation and at the same time critically to Thomas Aquinas’ understanding of the senses of Scripture, emphasizing in particular the importance attached to the literal sense in medieval biblical hermeneutics. This article presents Ratzinger’s and Thomas Aquinas’ understanding of biblical senses. Particular emphasis is placed on the fundamental assumptions, primarily theological, of both approaches. The article addresses the issue of the relationship between spiritual and literal sense, the relationship between divine and human authorship, and the relationship between the Old and New Testaments. Attention is also drawn to the Christological-pneumatological and teleological interpretation of Scripture, the understanding of salvation history, and the properties of human language in which the word of God was communicated. The necessity of moving from the letter to the spirit of inspired texts was also strongly emphasized. The research began with Ratzinger’s legacy, and then, based on the results obtained, the thought of the Angelic Doctor was systematized. Due to this approach both the similarities and differences between the approaches of the two scholars were brought to light.