Tag Archives: Thomism

Virgil as Reason: The Noble Pagan and the Soul’s Journey Through Darkness

Virgil, Dante’s guide through Hell and Purgatory, represents natural reason, classical virtue, and the limits of human understanding. This article explores Virgil as a symbol of philosophical clarity, moral insight, and noble limitation, showing how Dante honours reason, even as he insists on the necessity of grace.

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Beatrice as Beatitude: Divine Wisdom and the Soul’s Ascent in Dante’s Commedia

Beatrice is more than Dante’s muse; she is the embodiment of divine wisdom, guiding the soul beyond reason to beatific vision. This article examines Beatrice as a theological and philosophical symbol, drawing on Scripture, Thomism, and Marian typology to show how she enables Dante’s ascent toward God.

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"The Donation of Constantine" – Raphael's workshop

The Empire and the Cross: Dante’s Vision of Universal Rule in De Monarchia

This article explores Dante’s political treatise De Monarchia, in which he argues for a divinely ordained universal empire distinct from the Church. Combining Roman law, Aristotelian philosophy, and Thomistic theology, Dante envisions imperial rule as the necessary foundation for peace, justice, and the fulfilment of humanity’s earthly potential.

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Fire, Exile, and Vision: The Historical and Spiritual Roots of The Divine Comedy

This article uncovers the historical, political, and spiritual forces behind Dante’s Divine Comedy, including his exile from Florence, critique of Church and Empire, and the influence of Beatrice, Virgil, and Scholastic theology, revealing the poem as both a mystical vision and a personal act of redemption.

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Mapping the Abyss: A Journey Through Dante’s Circles of Hell

This article explores Dante’s Inferno as a structured moral and theological descent, examining the logic behind each of the nine circles of Hell. From lust and gluttony to fraud and treachery, each level reveals how Dante views sin not just as misdeed but as a deformation of the soul and will.

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