Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas (c.1225–1274), also known as Aquinas, was an Italian Dominican friar, priest, and theologian whose work sought to harmonize Christian theology with Aristotelian philosophy. A central figure in medieval philosophy and Western thought, he is regarded as one of the most influential Catholic theologians and a Doctor of the Church.

Born in Roccasecca, in the Kingdom of Sicily, Aquinas joined the Dominican Order against his family's wishes. He studied at Monte Cassino and in Naples before continuing his education at the universities of Paris and Cologne, where he studied under Albertus Magnus. He later taught and wrote extensively, producing a systematic body of work that organized theological and philosophical inquiry.

His major works include the Summa Theologiae, a comprehensive synthesis of Christian theology intended for trained clergy, and the Summa Contra Gentiles, an apologetic work oriented toward non-Christians. He also produced influential commentaries on Aristotle and other authorities. Core ideas in his system include natural law, virtue ethics centered on the cardinal virtues, and a rigorous synthesis of faith and reason. He articulated several arguments for the existence of God (the Five Ways) and advanced a mature account of metaphysics in which essence and existence are distinct in created beings, while God is pure act and the necessary source of all that exists.

Aquinas’ thought profoundly shaped Catholic theology and the Scholastic method, influencing philosophy, ethics, and natural law theory well beyond his own era. He was canonized in 1323 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1567. The Summa Theologiae remains a foundational text in Catholic education and is studied in broader philosophical and theological contexts.