From neo-Thomism to St. Thomas - Maurice Blondel's early encounter with scholastic thought

Maurice Blondel's appreciation of scholastic philosophy was tempered from the beginning with a definite critique that reflected his own philosophical concerns. Although he drew indirectly on St. Thomas in his doctoral thesis, the young philosopher was highly critical of Thomism in the famous Letter on Apologetics. The ensuing debate pushed him to clarify his own philosophical position in the face of neo-Thomism. It was clear to Blondel that the renaissance in Thomist studies advocated by Aeterni Patris could only take place if scholastic philosophy would assimilate some important elements from the positive tradition. This realization would, in time, drive the French philosopher to a reappraisal of St. Thomas, and neo-Thomism to a confrontation with neglected aspects of its own tradition.