Thomas Eggensperger OP at International Conference at Providence College, USA

Picture: Bartomolé de Las Casas OP, Wikimedia (Public Domain)

[17.07.2019] On 16th of July 2019 Prof. Dr. Thomas Eggensperger OP (Institut M.-Dominique Chenu / PTH Münster gave a paper at Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island, USA. In his contribution to the II International Conference on Bartolomé de Las Casas. Eggensperger reflected about "Prudentia" as an Interpretation of Bartolomé de Las Casas following Thomas Aquinas. 

Bartolomé de Las Casas disputed in his text "Apologética Historia Sumaria" the aspect of "prudence" (chapters 40-48). The background is his intention to prove that the "indios" are really individuals with "ratio" and "intellectus". Therefore, Las Casas uses the interpretation of prudence according to Thomas Aquinas in his Summa theologiae (II-II 45 et sqq). He uses especially the distinction between "prudentia monastica", "prudential oeconomica" and "prudential politica". Aquinas (and Aristotle) is the base adopted by Las Casas to demonstrate the ability of the "indios" being individuals capable of socialization and community life. The method of Las Casas is an exciting example of a reception of actual debates (16th century) on the basis of a high medieval theory. 

Thomas Eggensperger OP, born 1963, Dominican friar of the German province of Teutonia, studies in theology, philosophy and Spanish (Dr. theol. and M.A.), thesis of doctorate about Las Casas and his political philosophy, author of a biography of Las Casas, various articles about the same issue. Teaching as professor Social Ethics at the Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Münster, actually as Guest professor at the University of Munich; he is director of the Institute M.-Dominique Chenu Berlin.  

 

Program of Providence Conference 2019 >>