Who Is Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas Biography
Thomas Aquinas was a Catholic priest, theologian, and philosopher in the 13th century. He is considered one of the greatest thinkers in the history of the Catholic Church and is known for his synthesis of faith and reason. He was born in Italy in 1225, and at the age of five, he was sent to the Kingdom of Naples to be educated by the Benedictine monks.
Aquinas studied at the University of Naples and then at the University of Paris, where he became a master of theology. He then studied under the guidance of the Dominican Order, and he was ordained a priest in 1250. He began teaching in various universities, including the University of Paris, the University of Cologne, and the University of Rome.
Aquinas's greatest work is the "Summa Theologiae," a comprehensive summary of Christian theology and philosophy. In this work, he attempted to reconcile the teachings of the Catholic Church with the ideas of the ancient philosophers, particularly Aristotle. He also wrote several other works, including "Disputed Questions on Truth," "Disputed Questions on the Power of God," and "Commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard."
Aquinas's work had a profound impact on the Catholic Church, and his ideas continue to be studied and discussed today. He is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church, and is known as the "Angelic Doctor" and the "Prince of Scholastics." He died in 1274.
Thomas Aquinas Fast Facts
Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar, Catholic priest, and Doctor of the Church. He was an immensely influential philosopher, theologian, and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism, within which he is also known as the "Doctor Angelicus" and "Doctor Communis."
* Aquinas was born in the Kingdom of Sicily, and was educated at the University of Naples and the University of Paris.
* He joined the Dominican Order in 1244, and became a professor at the University of Paris in 1252.
* His most famous work is the "Summa Theologica," a comprehensive summary of theology and a masterpiece of medieval scholasticism.
* Aquinas developed a synthesis of Christian theology and Aristotelian philosophy, which became known as Thomism. He believed that faith and reason are not in conflict, but rather complement each other, and that reason can lead to the understanding of the truths of faith.
* He also wrote commentaries on the Bible, and his work had a major influence on the development of the Catholic Church's doctrines and teachings.
* He was canonized by Pope John XXII in 1323 and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V in 1567.
* He died on 7 March 1274 while he was writing his "Summa Theologica" and is buried in the church of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, in Rome.
* Thomas Aquinas is considered one of the greatest minds in the history of Western civilization and his works continue to be studied and taught in many universities around the world.
Thomas Aquinas Top Quotes
"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship." (Meaning)
"Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate." (Meaning)
"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible." (Meaning)
"Every judgement of conscience, be it right or wrong, be it about things evil in themselves or morally indifferent, is obligatory, in such wise that he who acts against his conscience always sins." (Meaning)
"Love takes up where knowledge leaves off." (Meaning)
"If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever." (Meaning)
"Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand." (Meaning)
"The things that we love tell us what we are." (Meaning)
"To bear with patience wrongs done to oneself is a mark of perfection, but to bear with patience wrongs done to someone else is a mark of imperfection and even of actual sin." (Meaning)
"Good can exist without evil, whereas evil cannot exist without good." (Meaning)
"Man cannot live without joy; therefore when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures." (Meaning)
"A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational." (Meaning)
"Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine." (Meaning)
"Happiness is secured through virtue; it is a good attained by man's own will." (Meaning)
"Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious." (Meaning)
"Law is nothing other than a certain ordinance of reason for the common good, promulgated by the person who has the care of the community." (Meaning)
"Human salvation demands the divine disclosure of truths surpassing reason." (Meaning)
"All the efforts of the human mind cannot exhaust the essence of a single fly." (Meaning)
"Wonder is the desire for knowledge." (Meaning)
"By nature all men are equal in liberty, but not in other endowments." (Meaning)
"It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes." (Meaning)
"Love is a binding force, by which another is joined to me and cherished by myself." (Meaning)
"Temperance is simply a disposition of the mind which binds the passion." (Meaning)
"We can't have full knowledge all at once. We must start by believing; then afterwards we may be led on to master the evidence for ourselves." (Meaning)
"Because we cannot know what God is, but only what He is not, we cannot consider how He is but only how He is not." (Meaning)
"Man should not consider his material possession his own, but as common to all, so as to share them without hesitation when others are in need." (Meaning)
"In order for a war to be just, three things are necessary. First, the authority of the sovereign. Secondly, a just cause. Thirdly, a rightful intention." (Meaning)
"To convert somebody go and take them by the hand and guide them." (Meaning)
"Love must precede hatred, and nothing is hated save through being contrary to a suitable thing which is loved. And hence it is that every hatred is caused by love." (Meaning)
"Whatever is received is received according to the nature of the recipient." (Meaning)
"Reason in man is rather like God in the world." (Meaning)
"How can we live in harmony? First we need to know we are all madly in love with the same God." (Meaning)
"The principal act of courage is to endure and withstand dangers doggedly rather than to attack them." (Meaning)
"Well-ordered self-love is right and natural." (Meaning)
"The test of the artist does not lie in the will with which he goes to work, but in the excellence of the work he produces." (Meaning)
"The knowledge of God is the cause of things. For the knowledge of God is to all creatures what the knowledge of the artificer is to things made by his art." (Meaning)
"Justice is a certain rectitude of mind whereby a man does what he ought to do in the circumstances confronting him." (Meaning)
* The editor of this short biography made every effort to maintain information accuracy, including any quotes, facts, or key life events. If you're looking to expand your personal development, I recommend exploring other people's life stories and gaining inspiration from my collection of inspiring quotes. Exposing yourself to different perspectives can broaden your worldview and help you with your personal growth.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
