Thomistic Angelology: A Non-PAP Libertarian Reading

Kevin Timpe

In this paper, I explore St. Thomas Aquinas' writings concerning angels for any implications that his angelology may have on a libertarian's acceptance or rejection of PAP. I do not address the larger question of whether Aquinas should be read as a libertarian or a compatibilist; rather, assuming a libertarian approach, I show how Thomas allowed for the possibility of free moral beings without real possibilities. After showing the important place of angels in Thomistic metaphysics and angelology's importance for Thomas's understanding of humans, I then show how beatified angels are one example of beings with non-PAP libertarian freedom. Though this argument does not in itself entail that humans likewise have non-PAP libertarian freedom, given the strong metaphysical connections between humans and angels within Thomas' thought, I suggest that it does contribute to putting the burden of proof on those who would argue against the viability of human non-PAP libertarian freedom.