What do you know about Thomas Aquinas?

Answer 1

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) lived at a critical juncture of western culture when the arrival of the Aristotelian corpus in Latin translation reopened the question of the relation between faith and reason, calling into question the modus vivendi that had obtained for centuries. This crisis flared up just as universities were being founded. Thomas, after early studies at Montecassino, moved on to the University of Naples, where he met members of the new Dominican Order. It was at Naples too that Thomas had his first extended contact with the new learning. When he joined the Dominican Order he went north to study with Albertus Magnus, author of a paraphrase of the Aristotelian corpus. Thomas completed his studies at the University of Paris, which had been formed out of the monastic schools on the Left Bank and the cathedral school at Notre Dame. In two stints as a regent master Thomas defended the mendicant orders and, of greater historical importance, countered both the Averroistic interpretations of Aristotle and the Franciscan tendency to reject Greek philosophy. The result was a new modus vivendi between faith and philosophy which survived until the rise of the new physics. Thomas's theological writings became regulative of the Catholic Church and his close textual commentaries on Aristotle represent a cultural resource which is now receiving increased recognition. The following account concentrates on Thomas the philosopher and presents him as fundamentally an Aristotelian.

Answer 2

The best biography of St Thomas Aquinas was written by G. K. Chesterton and is still available in paperback.

If your local library does not have a copy, you can obtain a copy from Amazon.

Answer 3

I know that Thomas Aquinas doesn't have one scripture in the Bible - yet his teachings are slathered all over the church world and given credence in Christian tradition as if they were the Bible.

Answer 4

Dominican Monk, a Dumb Ox, a brilliant mind.

Great philosopher, master of common sense, master of metaphysics, wise, Theological Doctor, joined together Faith and Reason, Timeless Truth.

Defining truth, common sense, practicality, clarity, profundity, orthodoxy, medievalism, and modernity.

Answer 5

Tom is considered the last greatest Christian philosopher that ever lived.

Here is a summary of a small sample of his great works: 5 proofs for the existence of God:

http://members.aol.com/plweiss1/aquinas.htm

Answer 6

saint, philosopher, theologian, and I think scientist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Aquinas
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14663b.htm

Answer 7

name familiar, but i cant think of it off top of head.