Saint Thomas Aquinas

Definition of a Saint “The Saint is a medicine because he is an antidote. Indeed that is why the saint is often a martyr; he is mistaken for a poison because he is an antidote. He will generally be found restoring the world to sanity by exaggerating whatever the world neglects, which is by no means always the same element in every age. Yet each generation seeks its saint by instinct; and he is not what the people want, but rather what the people need.” Chesterton

Background Information St. Thomas Aquinas was born 1224 St. Thomas was born into an aristocratic family He denounced his life of privilege and took the vow of poverty, and proceeded to become one of the most influential philosophers and theologians that lived. St. Thomas was sent to the University of Naples He became engrossed in the works of Aristotle His intense studies of Aristotle led him to be considered Aristotelian. St Thomas joined the Dominican Order, the Order of Friars Preachers, against his parents' wishes. He was punished for this – his parents locked him in his family's castle. However, even after the punishment, upon his release he professed his vows to the Order of Friars Preachers.

Saint Thomas Aquinas' Beliefs St. Thomas believed that God was the highest being and that the highest life is one that acts for the sake of heeding to this highest being. One must live a life that allows him to eventually reach the Supreme Being. To do this one must believe in him.

Five Ways Aquinas Proves that there is a God Argument from Motion (first) An object in motion is put into motion by another object or force. He believed the movement must have been started by a force. FORCE = GOD This idea was also referred to as the "Unmoved Mover" Causation of Existence (second) No object can create itself Therefore, there must have been something called God.

Five Ways Aquinas Proves that there is a God Contingent and Necessary Objects (third) There are two types of objects that exist in the universe. Contingent and necessary objects. Contingent beings - can not exist without a necessary being. The necessary being that is able to do this is God. Argument from Degrees and Perfection (fourth) St. Thomas saw that things have different degrees of quality. You can judge the differences between the degrees by judging the things against an object that has the perfect quality, God.

Five Ways Aquinas Proves that there is a God​ Argument for Intelligent Design By being part of the universe, one can know that it must have been created by an intelligent designer, God. This is evident because of the intelligent life that is in our universe. If it weren’t for an intelligent designer, one would not be able to deduce that there is a God.

Saint Thomas’ Beliefs Aquinas believed that human beings live to gain knowledge to attain the highest good and to quench the thirst for knowledge. In order to do this Aquinas believed one must know and understand philosophy and theology. Aquinas believed that God leads everyone in the right direction as long as he is followed. He believed that human beings live for an end that is happy. He believed that the highest virtue that humans can obtain was not intellectual, but that it was that the soul was able to obtain theology. He believed this could be obtained through habit. He believed that to reach our end, we must follow this soul and follow the life that God has devised for us. He believed that all human action should be stemmed from pursuing God.