Aquinas
Medieval scholastic theologian
Thomas Aquinas was a 13th-century Italian philosopher and theologian whose synthesis of Aristotelian philosophy with Christian doctrine became foundational to Catholic thought.
His major work, the *Summa Theologica*, systematically addresses questions of God, ethics, and human nature.
Aquinas is often cited in discussions of natural law, the existence of God, and the relationship between faith and reason: Aquinas argued that reason and revelation are complementary.
Aquinas's comprehensive theological synthesis
- Doctor of the ChurchSaint recognized for doctrine
- transubstantiationChange of underlying substance
- faith and reasonComplementary paths to truth
- sacramentsSacred Christian rites
grace · Trinity · incarnation · original sin · predestination · salvation · angels · theodicy
Of ancient systematic philosophy
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
- teleologyStudy of purpose in nature
- natural lawInherent moral principles
- essenceFundamental nature of something
substance · accident · quiddity · realism · ontology · epistemology · syllogism · reason
Inherent moral principles
- cardinal virtuesFour foundational ethical qualities
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- justiceFair treatment under law
- temperanceHabitual moderation in behavior
fortitude · conscience · free will · common good · practical reason · habitus · theological virtues · charity
Preaching order member
- DominicansPreaching religious order members
- scholasticismRigorous dialectical learning method
- commentariesExplanatory notes on texts
- medieval universityEuropean school, Middle Ages
Paris · Naples · Duns Scotus · MacIntyre
Years 1201 to 1300
- friarsMendicant religious order members
- University of ParisHistoric French academic institution
- LatinAncient Roman language
- manuscriptsHandwritten or typed originals
disputations · Bologna · Cologne · monastic · ecclesiastical · Christendom · papal authority · church fathers
Summa Theologica
Aquinas's comprehensive theological synthesis
- Doctor of the ChurchSaint recognized for doctrine
- transubstantiationChange of underlying substance
- faith and reasonComplementary paths to truth
sacraments · grace · Trinity · incarnation · original sin · predestination · salvation · angels · theodicy · creation
Aristotelian
Of ancient systematic philosophy
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
- teleologyStudy of purpose in nature
- natural lawInherent moral principles
essence · substance · accident · quiddity · realism · ontology · epistemology · syllogism · reason · first cause
natural law
Inherent moral principles
- cardinal virtuesFour foundational ethical qualities
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- justiceFair treatment under law
temperance · fortitude · conscience · free will · common good · practical reason · habitus · theological virtues · charity · just war
Dominican
Preaching order member
- DominicansPreaching religious order members
- scholasticismRigorous dialectical learning method
- commentariesExplanatory notes on texts
medieval university · Paris · Naples · Duns Scotus · MacIntyre
thirteenth century
Years 1201 to 1300
- friarsMendicant religious order members
- University of ParisHistoric French academic institution
- LatinAncient Roman language
manuscripts · disputations · Bologna · Cologne · monastic · ecclesiastical · Christendom · papal authority · church fathers
- Italian ThinkersDante Alighieri, Niccolo Machiavelli, Galileo Galilei, Giordano Bruno, Dante
- Church DoctorsAugustine, Jerome, Ambrose, Athanasius, Bernard of Clairvaux
- Italian IconsLeonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante, Galileo, Marco Polo
- thinkersthinkers, thinker, philosophers, philosopher, Aristotle
- church historychurch history, apostles, Protestant Reformation, Christian history, baptism
- philosophyethics, logic, metaphysics, ontology, epistemology
AquinasDavid Hume
Scottish Enlightenment philosopher
William of Ockham · Nietzsche · A.J. Ayer · Wittgenstein · Derrida
AquinasMartin Luther
Protestant Reformation founder
John Calvin · Protestant Reformation · Kierkegaard · evangelicals · evangelicalism
AquinasNietzsche
German philosopher of will
Sartre · Camus · Foucault · postmodernists · secular humanists
- Thomas AquinasScholastic philosopher-theologian
- St. Thomas AquinasThirteenth-century Doctor of Church
- Saint Thomas AquinasDominican scholastic philosopher
aqua, aquatic, aquarium, aqueous, aquifer, aqueduct, aquaculture, subaqueous, aquamarine