Cornelio Fabro

Cornelio Fabro, a devout Catholic priest of the Stigmatine Order, was a prominent Italian Thomist philosopher of the 20th century. Born in Flumignano, Udine, on August 24, 1911, he passed away in Rome on May 4, 1995. Fabro was recognized for his extensive philosophical output and his role in the scholastic revival of Thomism. A central theme in his work was the concept of 'participation' within the metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas, which he explored in depth in his influential book "The Metaphysical Notion of Participation" (1939). He distinguished between predicamental and transcendental participation, emphasizing both structural and dynamic-causal dimensions. Fabro also contributed to understanding the essence and existence distinction in Aquinas. Beyond his focus on Thomism, Fabro showed a keen interest in modern philosophy, particularly the works of Søren Kierkegaard and their connection to Christian philosophy. He critically examined the origins and nature of anthropocentrism in modern thought and conducted analyses of 'progressive' theology. Fabro was also the founder of the Institute for Higher Studies on Unbelief, Religion and Cultures. His academic career spanned over four decades, with teaching positions at various universities, including the Pontifical Urbaniana University, the University of Rome, and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan.