A gem from Etienne Gilson, an amazing historian of philosophy with an existential Thomistic flair. For Gilson, knowledge of God is not an a priori conception such as the ontological argument, but revealed a posteriori in existence (concealed, yet revealed). In his words, “a most deeply hidden God, ‘He who is’ is also a most obvious God. By revealing to metaphysicians that they cannot account for their own existence, all things point to the fact that there is such a supreme cause wherein essence and existence coincide.” (Gilson, God and Philosophy, page 72). For Gilson, the appropriate starting point for realism is ontology (being), not epistemology (knowledge). Perhaps more poetically stated:
“Where a man’s metaphysics comes to an end, his religion begins. But the only path which can lead him to the point where true religion begins must of necessity lead him beyond the contemplation of essences, up to the very mystery of existence. This path is not very hard to find, but few are those who dare to follow it to the end.” (Gilson, God and Philosophy, page 143)
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