Shield of Thomistic Theology - On Predestination, the Trinity, Angels, and Man, Volume II - Jean Baptiste Gonet

This second volume of Gonet’s Shield of Thomistic Theology continues his systematic defense of classical Thomistic doctrine, turning from the divine attributes in general to two of the most profound areas of scholastic theology: predestination and the mystery of the Trinity. It develops its arguments within the framework of Thomas Aquinas, maintaining a strict commitment to metaphysical precision and theological rigor.

In the first part, Gonet examines predestination, addressing questions about divine foreknowledge, grace, human freedom, and the order of salvation. He carefully articulates how divine causality and human liberty are understood to coexist without contradiction in the Thomistic system.

The second part turns to Trinitarian theology, analyzing the distinctions of persons within the one divine essence. Gonet explains the relations of origin—paternity, filiation, and spiration—as the foundation for distinguishing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit while preserving absolute divine unity and simplicity.

Throughout, the work is characterized by its polemical clarity and scholastic structure, aiming both to defend orthodox Thomistic positions and to provide a systematic exposition of the deepest mysteries of Christian theology.