Thomas Aquinas
1225 – 1274 Italian philosopher, theologian
The theologian who fused Aristotle with Christianity in the Summa Theologica.
- Religion
- Christian; a Dominican friar and saint whose synthesis became central to Catholic doctrine.
- Affiliations
- Dominican Order; taught at the University of Paris. No secret society.
Aquinas built a vast synthesis of Aristotelian philosophy and Christian faith, arguing that reason and revelation agree. His Summa Theologica became the backbone of Catholic theology and his five ways remain classic arguments for God. His system, Thomism, still guides Catholic thought.
Connections
- influenced Aristotle — Aquinas fused Aristotle with Christian theology.
- influenced Aristotle — He built his theology on Aristotle's philosophy.
- influenced Avicenna — Aquinas drew on Avicenna's metaphysics of essence and existence.
- influenced Maimonides — Aquinas drew on Maimonides on faith and reason.
In the timeline
- 426 Augustine Sets Out Just War Criteria mentioned
- 1264 Aquinas writes the Pange lingua hymn mentioned
- 1270 Aquinas States the Conditions of Just War mentioned