Abstract
In recent years, Servais Pinckaers has renewed interest in the importance of the new law for theology and ethics. He is deeply indebted to Aquinas's construal of the new law, yet a close look at Aquinas's position reveals that construing the new law as the telos of the old law can result in difficult consequences for Christians who believe, with Vatican II, that Jews should not be spoken of as rejected or accursed. Pinckaers avoids the most challenging aspects of Aquinas's position, but he also ignores its potentially problematic nature. This cautionary inquiry illustrates why tremendous care must be taken in theologically engaging Aquinas's articulation of the new law in light of its assumptions concerning the old law and medieval Jews.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.