Building community is what politics is really about. People seeing what is missing in society and banding together to do something about it. From injustice to justice. From outrage to action. From despair to hope. From disempowerment to empowerment.
Anger can offer energy for the struggles that ensue. Jesus knew this, as is evident in the story of his turning the money-lenders’ tables over in the temple. Jesus often expressed his anger directly in debates with hypocritical religious powerbrokers and, more subtly, in his artful storytelling and parables. He did not run from his anger, but found a healthy outlet that refused to psychologize it (“Oh, you are so angry, Jesus”) and instead reached down to identify its root causes.
Aquinas praises anger when he says: “Nothing great happens without anger.” Anger is an energy source that we must tap into—but in appropriate ways and for the appropriate length of time and directed at the appropriate people, just as Aquinas advises. Anger is one of those passions that Aquinas celebrates as being the very place where virtue is born within us.
Aquinas believes that anger is related to injustice—
that which provokes anger is always something considered in the light of an injustice.
We are angry because something we love is being threatened or endangered:
If we are angry with those who harm others . . . it is because those who are injured belong in some way to us; either by some kinship or by friendship, or at least because of the nature we share in common.
Adapted from Matthew Fox, The Tao of Thomas Aquinas, pp. 131-136.
See also, Matthew Fox, Sheer Joy: Conversations with Thomas Aquinas on Creation Spirituality, pp. 329, 416-422, 457-459.
To read the written transcript of Matthew’s video teaching, click HERE
Banner Image: Voting rights mural, Milwaukee, MN, by Shepard Fairey. Photo by Tom Barrett on Unsplash.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you agree that “nothing great happens without anger”? How good are you, how good are we, at lassoing that anger and putting it to good use like the prophets did? To calling in our creativity therefore?
Recommended Reading
The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times
A stunning spiritual handbook drawn from the substantive teachings of Aquinas’ mystical/prophetic genius, offering a sublime roadmap for spirituality and action.
Foreword by Ilia Delio.
“What a wonderful book! Only Matt Fox could bring to life the wisdom and brilliance of Aquinas with so much creativity. The Tao of Thomas Aquinas is a masterpiece.”
–Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit
Sheer Joy: Conversations with Thomas Aquinas on Creation Spirituality
Matthew Fox renders Thomas Aquinas accessible by interviewing him and thus descholasticizing him. He also translated many of his works such as Biblical commentaries never before in English (or Italian or German of French). He gives Aquinas a forum so that he can be heard in our own time. He presents Thomas Aquinas entirely in his own words, but in a form designed to allow late 20th-century minds and hearts to hear him in a fresh way.
“The teaching of Aquinas comes through will a fullness and an insight that has never been present in English before and [with] a vital message for the world today.” ~ Fr. Bede Griffiths (Afterword).
Foreword by Rupert Sheldrake
Upcoming Events
“Wisdom, Grace, Love” – a 3-part online lecture series by Caroline Myss, Andrew Harvey, and Matthew Fox, September 8, 15, and 22, 3:00-4:30 pm Pacific (GMT/UTC-7). Learn more HERE.
11 thoughts on “Politics and Anger, Jesus and Aquinas”
Anger for me has been best described by this quote, attributed to Saint Augustine: “Hope has two lovely daughters, anger and courage, anger so that what should not be is not and and courage so what should be is.” (I have never been able to find where Augustine is supposed to have said this.)
David, Thank you for sharing one of St. Augustine’s more reasonable and true comments…
I often wonder why Thomas Aquinas went silent near the end of his life. He had even decried everything he had written. Was he ‘angry’ at himself for anything he had written, perhaps about women, or was he experiencing a late age physical/psychological ‘meltdown’ that had little to do with his life’s work??? Is there such a thing as ‘irrational’ anger?
Gwen, thank you for your comment. Yes, there is such a thing as “irrational anger”–but I would think that irrational anger comes purely from an emotional response and not a reasoned response. And as far as Aquinas’ silence near the end of his life goes–we can only speculate the cause. For me it is the same as speculating what was the “thorn” in St. Paul’s flesh…
Thank you Richard. I have noticed some significant comparisons between St. Paul’s capacious cosmic vision and that of Aquinas. But I had forgotten about Paul’s mention of the “thorn” in his flesh.
I disagree with the statement, that nothing great happens without anger. Great things do indeed happen through love, and all that this is, was and ever shall be. What I find interesting in these discussions about anger, is how humanity has categorized and compartmentilzed all human emotions into good or bad, positive or negative… when emotions are merely energy in motion. Humanity in general tends to be very judgemental and critical regarding the expressions of human emotions as well, and as a result of this, we are expected to oppress and suppress particular ones we have labelled as unhealthy or inappropriate. All emotions are neither good, nor bad… but rather its how we choose to choreograph and design the movements of this energy in motion that matters, rather than letting our emotions whatever they may be, control our choices of expression.
Jeanette, First of all I like how you say it is interesting “how humanity has categorized and compartmentalized all human emotions into good or bad, positive or negative… when emotions are merely energy in motion.” But then you say, “All emotions are neither good, nor bad… but rather its how we choose to choreograph and design the movements of this energy in motion that matters, rather than letting our emotions whatever they may be, control our choices of expression.” I agree whole heartedly with your second quote here as well, underscoring that when Matthew it is said that “nothing great happens without anger” he is not speaking of anger motivated by irrational anger but reasoned anger–the kind that leads to action and change!
As an Enneagram 9 dealing with anger has been a life-long journey. As Helen Palmer says, “Anger is the path to self-remembering” and that quote has guided my relationship with anger. I identify two types of anger in me – rage and justified anger. Rage is when I am projecting my anger onto another when really internally I am angry at either myself or a situation that I can not control. Rage does not produce anything but reactions and more rage. Justified anger is when I know, through prayer and contemplation, that I have been slighted, I have not spoken up for myself and need to, I have not set a boundary and I need to do that with another, or I need to decide how I will show up around an issue, i.e., women’s right to her body. With rage I feel out of control; with justified anger I feel centered, clear of my intention, and aware and intentional in my words and actions. I believe that Aquinas is referring to justified anger.
Theresa, Thank you for your take on this, from the perspective of the Enneagram, and your distinction between justified anger and rage. You say, “With rage I feel out of control; with justified anger I feel centered, clear of my intention, and aware and intentional in my words and actions. I believe that Aquinas is referring to justified anger.” Good distinction!
Where injustice prompts anger we had best seek nonviolent, compassionate response if we expect to do any good. }:- a.m.
Hoofnote: And we must examine our own perception of “injustice” for any signs of prejudice, ego, self-centeredness lest our anger become a source of more of the same.
Patrick, I totally agree with your comments. Thanks for sharing.