On Anger

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Subsection

Wrath & Hatred: Not Properly in God
Christ’s Anger

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Order of Contents

Articles  4+
Latin  2

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Articles

1200’s

Aquinas, Thomas – question 158, ‘Anger’  in Summa, 2nd pt. of 2nd pt.

“I answer that, Anger, as stated above (Article 1), is properly the name of a passion.  A passion of the sensitive appetite is good in so far as it is regulated by reason, whereas it is evil if it set the order of reason aside. Now the order of reason, in regard to anger, may be considered in relation to two things. First, in relation to the appetible object to which anger tends, and that is revenge. Wherefore if one desire revenge to be taken in accordance with the order of reason, the desire of anger is praiseworthy, and is called “zealous anger” [Cf. Gregory, Moral. v, 45. On the other hand, if one desire the taking of vengeance in any way whatever contrary to the order of reason, for instance if he desire the punishment of one who has not deserved it, or beyond his deserts, or again contrary to the order prescribed by law, or not for the due end, namely the maintaining of justice and the correction of defaults, then the desire of anger will be sinful, and this is called sinful anger.

Secondly, the order of reason in regard to anger may be considered in relation to the mode of being angry, namely that the movement of anger should not be immoderately fierce, neither internally nor externally; and if this condition be disregarded, anger will not lack sin, even though just vengeance be desired.”

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1500’s

Musculus, Wolfgang – ‘He says not, ‘Be not angry,’ but ‘Kill not.’’  in Common Places of the Christian Religion  (1560; London, 1563), 6th Commandment, folio 77.b

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1600’s

Perkins, William – The Whole Treatise of the Cases of Conscience…  (d. 1602; Cambridge: Legat, 1606), bk. 3, ch. 3

Question 2, When Anger is a virtue, and so good and lawful, and when it is a vice, and consequently evil and unlawful?

Sect. 1, When anger is a virtue and lawful
Sect. 2, When anger is a vice and unlawful

Question 3, What is the Remedy of Unjust Anger?

Sect. 1, Meditation
Sect. 2, Remedies in Practice

Baxter, Richard – The Government of the Passions according to the Rules of Reason & Religion… (London: J. Knapton, 1700)

‘Of the Nature & Properties of Hatred’
‘Of Anger’

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1800’s

Dabney, R.L. – ‘Laus Iracundiæ (Praise of Anger)’

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Latin Articles

1600’s

Voet, Gisbert – Select Theological Disputations, vol. 4  (Utrecht, 1667), 50. ‘A Syllabus of Questions on the Decalogue’, ‘On the 6th Commandment’

‘On mildness, tolerance and placability, and the opposites: wrath, having a temper, lust for vengeance, envy and apathy’, p. 798

‘On concord, discord and bursting, divisive and harsh words’, p. 799

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Related Pages

On the Affections of God

On Ethics & Virtue

On the Law

On Evil

Sin

Classifications & Degrees of Sin, & Venial vs. Mortal Sin

Truth

On Love & Charity

On the General Judgment