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Journeying with Thomas Aquinas

Bishop Robert Barron・32 minutes read

Thomas Aquinas, a saint known for his love of Jesus Christ, was a philosopher and theologian who emphasized understanding and the nature of God, rejecting conflicts between faith and reason. His profound works and experiences, including his discussion on the fittingness of the Incarnation, demonstrate his exceptional intellect and importance in religious and philosophical discussions.

Insights

  • Thomas Aquinas, a multifaceted figure deeply devoted to Jesus Christ, emphasized the understanding of God as the sheer act of being itself, infinite, immaterial, eternal, and beyond material limitations.
  • Aquinas's profound exploration of faith and reason revealed that they stem from the same source and should not conflict, positioning him as a pivotal figure in religious and philosophical discourse, akin to geniuses like Einstein, Newton, Kant, and Plato.

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Recent questions

  • Who was Thomas Aquinas?

    A philosopher, theologian, and saint.

  • What were Thomas Aquinas' main beliefs?

    God as sheer act of being, beyond material existence.

  • What was Thomas Aquinas' literary masterpiece?

    Summa Theologiae.

  • How did Thomas Aquinas view faith and reason?

    Faith and reason come from the same source.

  • What was Thomas Aquinas' view on the Incarnation?

    Meeting of Divine reaching down and human reaching up.

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Summary

00:00

Thomas Aquinas: Saint, Scholar, and Mystic

  • Thomas Quain is known for asking bold questions about religion, believing that reason poses no threat to religion when both are understood authentically.
  • Thomas Aquinas was a philosopher, scientist, biblical commentator, theologian, mystic, and above all, a saint deeply in love with Jesus Christ.
  • Thomas Aquinas was born in 1225 in the family castle of Roaa near Aquino, between Rome and Naples, to a family involved in the politics of the time.
  • At the age of 5, Thomas was sent to the Benedictine monastery of Monte Casino for nine formative years, where he fell in love with the scriptures, especially the Psalms.
  • Thomas Aquinas left Monte Casino at 15 for undergraduate studies at the University of Naples, where he became a devotee of Aristotle under the influence of his professor Peter of Ireland.
  • Thomas Aquinas embraced the mendicant movement while in Naples, joining the preaching Friars of St. Dominic, which was seen as a scandal by many.
  • Despite his family's wishes for him to become the Abbot of Monte Casino, Thomas pursued his path with the Dominicans, studying in Paris under Albert the Great.
  • Thomas Aquinas' literary career was marked by his Summa Theologiae, a series of question disputations that were resolved in public debates, reflecting the lively intellectual background of his time.
  • Thomas Aquinas' productivity was staggering, with his collected works filling 50 double-columned folio volumes, showcasing his genius, order, and discipline in his daily routine.
  • Thomas Aquinas' life took a mysterious turn before his death in 1274, where he abruptly stopped writing, stating that everything he had written seemed like straw compared to what had been revealed to him, leading to a profound experience that left him silent.

22:39

Thomas Aquinas: Life, Death, and God's Nature

  • Thomas Aquinas became ill on a journey and was taken to a castle but requested to be moved to a religious house, the San Abbey of Fosen NOA.
  • Thomas Aquinas died in this room on March 7th, 1274, possibly dictating a commentary on the Song of Songs during his last days.
  • Thomas Aquinas' life and experiences are compared to those of biblical figures and other historical church figures like Catherine of Sienna.
  • A study suggested that many people have had mystical encounters with higher powers, indicating a commonality in extraordinary experiences.
  • Thomas Aquinas' main focus was on understanding the nature of God, particularly emphasizing what God is not rather than what God is.
  • God, according to Thomas Aquinas, is not a being but the sheer act of being itself, existing beyond the limitations of material existence.
  • Thomas Aquinas explains that God is infinite, immaterial, eternal, and immutable, existing outside of time and without restrictions.
  • God's knowledge and love are central to Thomas Aquinas' understanding, with creation being the result of God's intense love for his own perfection.
  • Thomas Aquinas' view of God contrasts with atheistic perspectives that fail to grasp the concept of God as the reason for existence rather than a being within the universe.
  • Thomas Aquinas' approach to faith and reason rejects the idea of faith being irrational, asserting that faith and reason come from the same source and should not conflict.

45:22

Aquinas: Genius of Faith and Reason

  • Thomas Aquinas is likened to geniuses like Einstein, Newton, Kant, and Plato, showcasing his exceptional intellect and analysis.
  • Aquinas is described as deeply in love with Jesus Christ, evident in his devotion to the Eucharist, other sacraments, mystical experiences, and writings on Jesus.
  • Aquinas's discussion on the appropriateness of the Incarnation in Summa Theologica highlights the concept of God's goodness being diffusive, leading to the fittingness of the Incarnation as the purest indication of God's goodness.
  • The Incarnation, as per Aquinas, signifies the meeting of two ecstasies - Divine reaching down and human reaching up, without compromising the nature of either.
  • Aquinas's philosophical and theological significance lies in his ability to deeply explore faith and reason, showcasing that faith and reason are not opposed, and his openness to various influences, making him a pivotal figure in religious and philosophical discourse.
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