Abstract

This article explores the thought of Tomasso de Vio, Cardinal Cajetan, on grace, justification and merit, situating his position vis-à-vis medieval, Reformation, and modern interlocutors. It examines a wide spectrum of Cajetan's works including his commentary on the Summa theologiae, the controversial work De fide et operibus contra Lutheranos, and his biblical commentaries on Matthew and Romans. It makes the argument that Cajetan preserves a Thomist perspective on grace and human action as they pertain to justification and salvation; that is, Cajetan denies merit to any human action preceding justification but allows for restricted instances of merit for persons in a state of grace. The study examines potentially divergent positions in Cajetan's works and argues for overall consistency. In doing so, it presents Cajetan's thought on doctrinal issues which unfolded during the Reformation and persisted in the modern period.