In what ways is Aquinas' account of love consistent with his account of justice?

Jennifer Baranowski
PHCC-104-SF3
Professor N. Turetzky, PhD.

February 14, 2012

In what ways is Aquinas' account of love consistent with his account of justice?

Justice is a misunderstood word. It is often thought of as a punishment or consequence for something that is deemed a wrong doing against a person or society. Justice is personified in the statue Justitia, or Lady Justice, “most often depicted with a set of scales typically suspended from her right hand, upon which she measures the strengths of a case's support and opposition. She is also often seen carrying a double-edged sword in her left hand, symbolizing the power of Reason and Justice, which may be wielded either for or against any party” (Wikipedia). It could be argued that the scales that Lady Justice holds are also symbolic for the required balance with an equitable resolution to a problem. When we think of justice, we often think of what we see on nighttime network television; Criminal justice doles out punishment but healing doesn't come from punishment. Justice should be restorative: “injustice is what leads to broken world but justice, specifically restorative justice, is what heals it - the key component to restorative justice is forgiveness” (Greeley and Kirven).

I think Aquinas believed in restorative justice and forgiveness. The Bible advocates for forgiveness and promises justice in Romans 12:14 – 21:
"Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse
Live in harmony with each other.
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.
Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable
Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible
Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God.
For it is written,
‘I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,’ says the Lord.
Instead, do what the Scriptures say:
‘If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.’
Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good” (New Living Translation).

St. Thomas believed that love and forgiveness (and therefore, justice) are one and the same – "whatever else forgiveness is, it seems to include a kind of love of someone who has done one in injury or committed and injustice against one" (Stump 28). Love and forgiveness both relied on the desire for the good of the beloved and for union with the beloved. When there is love and forgiveness, justice can truly occur. However, people often hang onto hate after they have experienced a violation - hate is toxic and heavy. Even when there is a sentence for a crime, for example, justice has not been done and Justitia’s scales remain imbalanced when hatred continues to eat at and destroy the victim. Regardless what the physical consequence is for a violation, the Bible and Aquinas both preach that for healing and justice to truly occur, forgiveness and love should be extended.

Works Cited:
Greeley, June-Anne and Stephanie Kirven. "Restorative Justice: A Different Model of Justice." Sacred Heart University Colloquia Series. Fairfield, Connecticut, 2011.

New Living Translation. Holy Bible. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1996. print.

Stump, Eleonore. "The World at Large: Love and Loneliness." Stump, Eleonore. Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering. Oxford University Press, 2010. Obtained from SHU BlackBoard. 8 February 2012.

Wikipedia. Lady Justice. 14 February 2012. Web. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Justice.