Joshua Bennett
St. Thomas Aquinas was a Catholic theologian, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church. He was born in Roccasecca, Italy, in 1225 and died on March 7, 1274, at the Cistercian monastery of Fossanova, near Terracina, Latium, Papal States, Italy. As a young boy, he was sent to train among Benedictine monks at the Abbey of Monte Cassino. He later joined the Dominican order and became a prolific writer, producing works such as Summa Theologiae and Summa contra Gentiles. Aquinas is considered one of the greatest scholars of Scholasticism and is highly regarded by the Catholic Church, with Pope Pius V proclaiming him a Doctor of the Church in 1567.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Philosopher, theologian |
| Known for | Scholasticism |
| Birthplace | Roccasecca, Italy |
| Birth year | 1224/1225/1227 |
| Death year | 1274 |
| Canonized by | Pope John XXII |
| Canonized year | 1323 |
| Feast day | 28 January |
| Known as | Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, Doctor of Humanity/Humaneness, The Universal Teacher |
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What You'll Learn
Thomas Aquinas was a Catholic theologian and philosopher
At around the age of 18, Aquinas began attending the University of Naples. While there, he secretly joined an order of Dominican monks, which caused a rift with his family. They held him captive for a year, attempting to deprogram him of his new beliefs. However, Aquinas remained steadfast and returned to the Dominican order after his release in 1245. From 1245 to 1252, he continued his studies with the Dominicans in Naples, Paris, and Cologne, and was ordained in Cologne in 1250. Aquinas went on to teach theology at the University of Paris, becoming one of the most influential medieval thinkers of Scholasticism.
Aquinas is known for his theological treatises, including "Summa contra gentiles" and "Summa Theologiae," and his philosophical works such as "De ente et essentia" ("Being and Essence"). He combined theological principles of faith with philosophical principles of reason, synthesizing Christian theology and Aristotelian philosophy. This synthesis influenced Roman Catholic doctrine for centuries and was adopted as the official philosophy of the Catholic Church. Aquinas is honoured as a saint by the Catholic Church, which regards him as the model teacher for those studying for the priesthood. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1567 by Pope Pius V, and his works continue to be studied by those seeking ordination as priests or deacons. Aquinas's doctrines were also mandated to be taught in all Catholic seminaries and universities by Pope Leo XIII in 1879.
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He was canonised by the Catholic Church
St. Thomas Aquinas was a member of the Roman Catholic Church. He was ordained in Cologne, Germany, in 1250 and went on to teach theology at the University of Paris. He is considered one of the Catholic Church's greatest theologians and philosophers. He is known in Catholic theology as the Doctor Angelicus ("Angelic Doctor"), and the Doctor Communis ("Universal Doctor").
Thomas Aquinas was canonised by Pope John XXII in 1323. He is honoured by the Catholic Church as a saint and regarded as the model teacher for those studying for the priesthood. Pope Pius V proclaimed St. Thomas Aquinas a Doctor of the Church in 1567, ranking him alongside the four great Latin fathers: Ambrose, Augustine of Hippo, Jerome, and Pope Gregory I.
In 1879, Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical Aeterni Patris, stating that Thomas's theology was a definitive exposition of Catholic doctrine. He directed the clergy to take the teachings of Thomas as the basis of their theological positions. In 1880, Thomas was declared the patron saint of all Catholic educational establishments.
Thomas Aquinas's doctrines were also championed by John Capreolus in the early 15th century, and by Cajetan (Thomas de Vio) a century later. In 1999, Pope John Paul II added another title to Thomas Aquinas's list of honours: Doctor Humanitatis ("Doctor of Humanity/Humaneness").
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He was a Doctor of the Church
St. Thomas Aquinas was a member of the Roman Catholic Church. He is considered one of the greatest theologians and philosophers of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius V proclaimed St. Thomas Aquinas a Doctor of the Church on 15 April 1567 with the Papal bull Mirabilis Deus. The title of Doctor of the Church was previously reserved for the ancient Church fathers.
Thomas Aquinas is also known in Catholic theology as the Doctor Angelicus ("Angelic Doctor", with the title "doctor" meaning "teacher"), and the Doctor Communis ("Universal Doctor"). In 1999, Pope John Paul II added a new title to these traditional ones: Doctor Humanitatis ("Doctor of Humanity/Humaneness").
Thomas Aquinas is honoured with a feast day in some churches of the Anglican Communion with a Lesser Festival on 28 January. The Catholic Church also honours Thomas Aquinas as a saint and regards him as the model teacher for those studying for the priesthood. In modern times, the study of his works was long used as a core of the required programme of study for those seeking ordination as priests or deacons, as well as for those in religious formation and for other students of the sacred disciplines.
In 1880, Pope Leo XIII declared Thomas Aquinas the patron of all Catholic universities, academies, colleges, and schools. He is also the patron saint of students, Catholic schools, apologists, booksellers, chastity, philosophers, publishers, scholars, and theologians.
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He was a member of the Dominican Order
Thomas Aquinas was a member of the Dominican Order, also known as the Order of Preachers (Ordo Praedicatorum). He joined the order in 1244 when he was about 20 years old, after studying at the University of Naples and becoming acquainted with the Dominicans.
The Dominican Order was founded by St. Dominic about 30 years before Aquinas joined. It was a new religious order that departed from the traditional paternalistic form of government for monks and instead embraced a more democratic form of mendicant friars. This meant that they lived a life of poverty and had to beg for alms, rather than following the traditional monastic life of prayer and manual labour. The Dominicans were also more active in preaching and teaching.
Aquinas's decision to join the Dominican Order was a significant one. It allowed him to escape the feudal world and the monastic spirituality in which he was raised. It also enabled him to pursue his studies at the prestigious and turbulent University of Paris, where he studied under St. Albertus Magnus. Aquinas's time in Paris exposed him to new ideas, such as the influx of Arabian-Aristotelian science, which he was not afraid to engage with.
As a member of the Dominican Order, Aquinas wrote defences of the mendicant orders, commentaries on Aristotle and Lombard's Sentences, and some Bible-related works. He also taught theology at the University of Paris and other Italian cities. Aquinas is best known for his theological treatises Summa contra gentiles and Summa Theologiae, which synthesised Christian theology and Aristotelian philosophy and influenced Roman Catholic doctrine for centuries.
Aquinas's membership in the Dominican Order is also significant because it connects him to the famous 15th-century witch-hunter's manual, the Malleus Maleficarum. The manual was written by a fellow member of the Dominican Order and begins by quoting Aquinas. Aquinas himself is known for his departure from the traditional church doctrine on witchcraft, instead arguing for the belief in witches.
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He was an Italian Scholastic
Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Scholastic theologian and philosopher who played a pivotal role in the development of Catholic theology and philosophy. Born in Roccasecca, Italy, in the 13th century, Aquinas was a member of the Dominican Order and is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of Catholic thought. As a Scholastic, his approach to theology and philosophy was characterized by a rigorous method of critical analysis and synthesis, drawing on the works of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, as well as Christian thinkers such as Augustine and Anselm of Canterbury.
The term "Scholastic" refers to a movement in medieval European philosophy that emphasized the use of dialectical reasoning and the integration of faith and reason. Scholasticism dominated Western Christian philosophy from the 11th to the 15th centuries and reached its peak in the 13th century with the work of Aquinas and his contemporary, Bonaventure. Aquinas' most famous work, the "Summa Theologica," is a comprehensive treatise on Catholic theology that seeks to reconcile faith and reason, revealing the harmony between religion and philosophy.
Aquinas' Scholastic method involved a systematic approach to theological inquiry, starting with a question or problem, examining the arguments for and against, and then synthesizing a solution that resolved the issue. This method, known as "disputational theology," was a hallmark of Scholasticism and had a profound influence on the development of Western philosophy and science. Aquinas' work demonstrates a deep engagement with the philosophical traditions that came before him.
He was well-versed in the works of Aristotle, whose ideas he incorporated into Christian theology, as well as the writings of Muslim and Jewish scholars, reflecting the multicultural context of medieval scholarship. Aquinas' synthesis of faith and reason, and his integration of diverse philosophical traditions, had a profound impact on the development of Catholic theology. His work provided a robust intellectual foundation for Catholic doctrine and helped to shape the Catholic understanding of the relationship between nature and grace, faith and reason, and theology and philosophy.
As an Italian Scholastic, Aquinas stands as a bridge between the Christian faith and the rich philosophical heritage of ancient and medieval thought. His work continues to be studied and debated today, not only within Catholic theology but also in the wider field of philosophical inquiry, where his contributions to ethics, political theory, and metaphysics remain influential. So, it is clear that Thomas Aquinas was a Catholic theologian and philosopher, and his work reflects and contributes to the Catholic intellectual tradition.
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Frequently asked questions
Thomas Aquinas was Catholic. He was an Italian Dominican theologian and philosopher, and a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
Thomas Aquinas was a prolific writer and one of the most influential medieval thinkers of Scholasticism. He is best known for his works, 'Summa Theologiae' and 'Summa Contra Gentiles', in which he combined the theological principles of faith with the philosophical principles of reason.
Aquinas was considered by the Catholic Church to be its foremost Western philosopher and theologian. He was canonized by Pope John XXII in 1323 and was named a Doctor of the Church in 1567 by Pope Pius V. Aquinas was also declared the patron saint of all Catholic educational establishments.
Anglicans have long admired Thomas Aquinas, and his work was used as a core text for those studying for the priesthood. In the early 1500s, John Capreolus emerged as a champion of Thomism, and in the 1600s, members of the Jesuit order were encouraged to follow Aquinas' teachings.
