Thomas Aquinas
Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, Catholic priest, and Doctor of the Church (1225–1274)
Thomas Aquinas ( ə-KWY-nəs; Italian: Tommaso d'Aquino, lit. 'Thomas of Aquino'; c. 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest, theologian, and philosopher. He is considered one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Catholic theology and Western philosophy. He is the father of a school of thought (encompassing both theology and philosophy) known as Thomism.
A proponent of natural theology, Thomas argued that God is the source of the light of natural reason and the light of faith. He embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle and sought to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity. Among his best-known ideas include his Five Ways for proving the existence of God, his virtue ethics, and his sacramental theology. In addition to its vast influence on Catholic thought, his philosophy has influenced modern virtue ethics, aesthetics, and cognitive theory.
Thomas's best-known work is the unfinished Summa Theologica, or Summa Theologiae (1265–1274), which is a comprehensive guide to the theology of the Catholic Church. His body of work also includes the Disputed Questions on Truth (1256–1259), the Summa contra Gentiles (1259–1265), and numerous commentaries on Christian Scripture and on Aristotle. He is also known for his Eucharistic hymns, which form a part of the Church's liturgy.
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