school divine
- Noun:
- Scholastic theologian: "school divine" refers to a theologian or philosopher associated with Scholasticism, the medieval system of thought that sought to reconcile Christian theology with classical philosophy, especially Aristotle.
- Academic religious thinker: A person who engages in theological study within a formal academic or institutional setting, often characterized by rigorous logical analysis and adherence to established doctrines.
- Noun:
- The university's faculty included a renowned school divine who lectured on Aquinas. (A theologian specializing in Scholastic philosophy.)
- As a school divine, she spent years debating the nature of transubstantiation. (An academic theologian focused on doctrinal disputes.)
"school divine" as a historical term: Often used to describe theologians from the medieval universities, such as Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, or William of Ockham.
- The writings of the school divines shaped Catholic doctrine for centuries. (Theological works from Scholastic thinkers.)
"school divine" in contrast to "mystical theologian": Emphasizes a rational, systematic approach over intuitive or experiential spirituality.
- Unlike the mystical theologians, the school divine relied on syllogisms and definitions. (A preference for logic over direct religious experience.)
School divinity (n): the body of knowledge or doctrines taught by school divines; Scholastic theology.
- He studied school divinity at Oxford, focusing on the works of the medieval masters. (Scholastic theology as an academic discipline.)
Schoolman (n): a synonym for "school divine," referring to a medieval Scholastic philosopher or theologian.
- The schoolman argued that faith and reason could coexist harmoniously. (A Scholastic thinker.)
- Scholastic: a person who follows or teaches Scholasticism.
- Theologian: a specialist in theology, especially within an academic context.
- Doctor of the Church: a title given to certain influential theologians, though not all school divines hold this status.
"To split hairs like a school divine": To engage in overly subtle or pedantic argumentation, characteristic of Scholastic disputations.
- The committee spent hours splitting hairs like school divines over the wording of the resolution. (Engaging in excessively detailed debate.)
"As dry as a school divine's lecture": Extremely boring or uninteresting, referencing the perceived dryness of Scholastic theology.
- The professor's talk was as dry as a school divine's lecture, putting half the audience to sleep. (Tedious and academic.)