Question V: On anger

Anger is thus described by D. Bonaventure in the third place cited, p. p. Centil. sect. 20, and in the Declaratorium terminorum Theologiae from Cassiodorus: Anger is an agitated movement of the soul, provoking the infliction of punishment. By Rabanus: Anger is every evil movement of the soul to do harm. From Augustine: Anger is sadness arising from the impotence of taking revenge. From Damascene, lib. 2 de fide cap. 16: Anger is the fervor of the blood about the heart, from the ebullition of bile, or from a disturbance striking. From the same: Anger is that which is bold, the avenger of injured concupiscence. From the same: Anger is the desire of vengeance. From Aristotle, 2 Rhet. lib. 2 cap. 2: Anger is the appetite of contrary pain, on account of an apparent examination: and the appetite of inflicting pain on one who opposes oneself, on account of an injury apparently inflicted: which in a certain manner examines, in that, by a due order, it deprives man as regards the judgment of the soul.

From some of these descriptions it is gathered that anger can exist without sin, but according to reason, as D. Thomas teaches, quaest. 156, art. 2. It is proved by that Psalm 4: Be angry, and sin not — whatever Cassian, in the lib. de Institutione Religiosorum cap. 6, and others may say.

It is proved by D. Bonaventure, in 3 d. 15, quaest. ult., because holy zeal for vengeance is with anger; but this can be in the Saints, and it was in Christ, Mark 11, Luke 19, when he cast out the buyers and sellers from the temple. This is called anger through zeal according to the order of reason, as D. Thomas also says.

Secondly, to detest evil and to be angry at evil are the same; and both are good.

Third, because the irascible power was given by God for being angry: therefore it is good.

Hence he concludes that anger can be good, insofar as it signifies an affect of detestation, and could be found in Adam in the state of innocence. And if a disturbance of sense is added besides, it could have been, and was, in Christ, yet without disturbance of mind. Thus it is said: He groaned in spirit and troubled himself, John 11. It is also repeated in the just, with some disturbance of mind, through zeal; of whom D. Gregory says, lib. 5 moral. cap. 35, and lib. 1 cap. 31: Whence the mind, when disturbed, profits, so that it may become clear; as the eye, when a collyrium is applied, is for a time disturbed, that afterwards it may be made clearer.

But truly a disturbance deviating from reason, tending to vengeance, is a vice.

I assert, therefore, that this anger is a vice opposed to meekness. So S. Bonaventure, LL. CC.

It is proved by Job 5: Anger slayeth the foolish man, where D. Gregory, lib. 5 moral. cap. 35: Anger through vice blinds the eye of the mind; anger through zeal disturbs it. It is thus defined by Damascene: the avenger of injured concupiscence.

The Saintly Doctor shows, loc. cit. Centil., why it is opposed to meekness; for the meek man neither wishes to begin to be disturbed toward anger immoderately. He shows that anger the vice differs from anger through zeal by reason of matter; for they are concerned with the same matter, namely with the person whom both wish to punish; but anger the vice wishes the person to be punished, so that vengeance upon the person be sated. Anger through zeal seeks vengeance upon the person, that the vice in the person may be destroyed. It is opposed also to patience, he says, by reason of the end, because patience extinguishes anger, lest it proceed; for he that is patient mitigates stirreth up angers, as Solomon testifies, Proverbs 15.

Hence the inordinateness of anger is apparent from the vengeance which it seeks, not according to reason; for it wills punishment unto the destruction of the person, and therefore either one which he did not deserve, or above his merit, or not according to the right order, and not according to the due end, which is the preservation of justice and the correction of fault; as, on the contrary, zeal seeks in an ordered way.

Secondly, in which anger the vice is discerned, is that within, and often also outwardly, it boils over immoderately. Hence there arise, as it were, species of Anger, from Damascene, lib. 2 de fide ort. cap. 16: the bilious passion, which is a sudden movement of the soul, impatient of injury, and it happens on the part of the body from the commotion of the bile, and on the part of the soul from the corruption of the irascible power; and then the bile is moved to vengeance, that sadness may be expelled. This anger quickly passes. Secondly, Mania, that is, lasting anger. Thirdly, Cotus, which is anger observing the time for vengeance. And this Aristotle means, 4 Eth. cap. 5, teaching that some of the irascible are sharp and sudden, some bitter and persistent, some difficult, who watch for occasions of vengeance; nearly the same has Nyssenus, lib. 4 de viribus animae, cap. 13.

Six daughters are reported of this impious mother: Rixa (Brawling), which is the bold will of avenging proceeding in injury done. Tumor mentis (Swelling of mind), which is the will of avenging fleeing the adversary on account of estimated enmities. Contumelia (Contumely), which is the will of avenging fleeing the adversary on account of estimated enmities. Contumelia (Contumely), which is the vindicating will through the upbraiding of evils. Clamor (Clamour), which is the act of the avenging will, exalting the voice through vituperation, coming to the ears of others. Indignatio (Indignation), which is the will avenging itself through a sign of annoyance outwardly declared. Blasphemia (Blasphemy), which is the will avenging itself through opprobrium inflicted upon God or the Saints. Or, according to Isidore, lib. in Deuter. cap. 16, there are three daughters of anger, namely homicide, clamour, and indignation; for vengeance is inflicted by homicide through the hand, by clamour through the mouth, and by indignation through a sign.

The same are indicated by S. Thomas, art. 2; Tannerus, d. 3, quaest. 3, dub. 7, num. 116.

Nevertheless anger is not altogether deadly, but only if grave vengeance is intended; the eruption outward into signs, or clamour, can be deadly per accidens, through scandal, or for another reason given above. Whence the Gloss on Psalm 4, from Cassiodorus: Anger is venial which is not carried through to effect. So far S. Thomas, art. 3, from the common opinion; D. Bonaventure, in speculo animae, cap. 3, from D. Gregory, lib. 5 moral. cap. 31, and from the Gloss of Cassiodorus in Pharetra, lib. 2, cap. 9.

I assert, thirdly, that Anger is a capital vice. It is evident from the daughters of Anger related above. Hence Proverbs 19: He that is apt to be angry shall be more prone to sin, and cap. 27: Anger hath no mercy, nor fury when it breaketh forth, as the Saintly Doctor observes in Diaeta, tit. 1, cap. 5.

The daughters of Anger the Saintly Doctor there enumerates: Hatred, Contention, War, Conflagration, Homicide, Rapine, and many others.

Their birth the Saintly Doctor thus reviews in speculo animae, cap. 3: For it is considered as in the heart, and hence indignation and the murmur of the mind; or it breaks forth at the mouth, and behold clamour, blasphemy, contumely, etc. The will goes forth to works, and behold calumnies, injuries, etc.

Of anger the Saintly Doctor thus speaks in compend. Theol. verit. lib. 3, cap. 24: Anger in its genus is a mortal sin, because, according to Isidore, Anger is the mind agitated to the inflicting of provoked punishment. But such a movement is contrary to charity, which is not provoked, nor thinketh evil. Anger, therefore, either signifies the anger of zeal, which is the detestation of vice — and this is not sin, but of perfection.

One can also be angry at oneself in this manner, as the Gloss says upon that Psalm 4 text, Be angry, and sin not: What is a penitent man, but one angry with himself? Or it signifies a remission of affection toward one's neighbor, whereby a man neither grieves over his neighbor's evil, nor rejoices over his good — although he likewise does not grieve over his good, nor rejoice over his evil, but is indifferent toward him: but this is not mortal, but an imperfection of his charity. Or it signifies actual impatience without the appetite for vengeance; and such a movement, even deliberate, is a venial sin, because it has the incomplete nature of anger, as is evident from the definition cited. Or it signifies impatience with an appetite for vengeance; and this in three ways: sometimes it is from nature, as in melancholics, and thus it is no sin, since it is a natural movement; sometimes from an undeliberate appetite, and it is venial; sometimes from a deliberate will, and it is mortal.

The various kinds of anger, good and evil, the Saintly Doctor reviews in lib. 1 de profectu Relig. cap. 14. Of the nature of anger, its similitudes, effects, and harms, and remedies, wonderful things are those which the Saintly Doctor reviews in Diaeta, tit. 1, cap. 5, and de profectu Religiosi, lib. 1, cap. 30 and 31.

Christ distinguished anger according to three degrees, as it breaks forth in the heart: Whosoever is angry with his brother, Matthew 5; secondly, as it breaks forth into signs: Whosoever shall say, Raca; thirdly, into effects: Whosoever shall say, thou fool. This S. Doctor reports in Pharetra, lib. 2, cap. 9, from D. Gregory, 21 Moral. cap. 4, where he says: He who with subtle examination enumerates the steps of human actions, assigns anger without voice to judgment; anger in voice, to counsel; but anger both in voice and in speech, to the fires of gehenna. Here it is held that all these can be mortal, yet always the later ones graver, as D. Augustine also teaches, lib. 1 de Sermone Domini in monte, cap. 19, where he says: If it is not lawful to be angry with his brother without cause, or to say Raca, or to say thou fool; much less is it lawful to hold something in the mind, so that indignation be converted into hatred.

The same S. Augustine, rule 3, cap. 38: Better is he who, though often tempted by anger, yet hastens to obtain forgiveness from him to whom he acknowledges he has done an injury, than he who is slower to be angry, and slower to incline to asking pardon. Many other excellent things see in Pharetra with the Saintly Doctor, loc. cit.

Examples of anger in Scripture read in the Biblia pauperum, cap. 95, where of the anger of man through zeal, and cap. 96, where of the vice of anger. The Saintly Doctor warns in Confessionali, cap. 2, particula 4: the penitent is to be questioned about Anger, concerning those things in which he breaks forth outwardly into Anger by cursing, reviling, blaspheming, etc.

One must also note, with D. Bonaventure, in Pharetra, loc. cit., from D. Bernard, ep. 69, that there is also given a vice in the extreme opposite to anger, that is, not to be angry when one ought to be angry; for he says this is to be unwilling to amend sin; just as previously to be angry before one ought to be angry is to add sin to sin. The same has the Author of the Imperfect Work on Matthew, homil. 11, and D. Thomas, quaest. 158, art. 8, and Tannerus noted it, disp. 3, quaest. 3, dub. 7, num. 174, and others.