*****st. Thomas & Culmination Of Medieval Scholastic Philosophy Poem by RAJ NANDY

(**Continued from 'Medieval Philosophy&Scholasticism'-
on page no.3)

ST THOMAS AQUINAS (1225-1274) :
(CULMINATION OF SCHOLASTICISM)

HIS LIFE:
Thomas was born in a noble family in Rocca Secca,
Near Aquino in Italy, in the year 1225 AD.
As a young boy, studied in the Benedictine monastery
at Monte Cassino,
Where his capacity for learning had begun to show!
He was next sent to Naples to further his education,
Where he entered the Dominican Order to his family’s
great consternation!
His mother rushed to Naples to dissuade Aquinas,
But the Dominicans quickly sent him to Rome, -
Hoping he would reach either Cologne or France!
But his brothers captured him on the road as we know,
And held him captive in a fortress at Rocca Secca, -
for two years or so!
He was finally released to choose his own vocation,
And under Albert Magnus at Cologne completed his
Theological education!
Magnus was the first Western Aristotelian scholar,
and an erudite theologian those days;
He introduced Aquinas to Aristotelian ways!
In 1252 Aquinas was sent to the University of Paris
for higher education;
And there he obtained a Masters in Theology in his
profession!
Subsequently in Paris he also obtained a Doctorate,
To become a great builder of the Catholic faith!
For the next seven years in Paris he taught Theology,
And in 1260, on request by Pope AlexanderIV, he
returned to Italy;
And also taught in the newly founded Dominican schools
in various monasteries!
In 1268 he returned to Paris to combat ‘Latin Averroism’,
Since they denied the immortality of the human soul,
and God’s creation of the world!
In 1272 the University of Naples offered him the chair
of theology!
But from the following year stopped writing perhaps due
to physical incapacity!
In 1274 was sent to the Council of Lyons as a Papal
Legate,
But died en route in the monastery of Fossa Nuova,
due ill health!
Thus the career of this great theologian got curtailed,
At an early age of 49 years, which many lament!
In 1323 by Pope John XIII, Aquinas was canonized;
And in 1567 by Pope Pius V, as an ‘Angelic Doctor’
of the Church got recognized!

WRITINGS OF ST. AQUINAS:
Friends, Thomas Aquinas is an ‘Institution’ all by
himself,
And it becomes difficult to comment on all his eighty
works within limited space!
Plato used around half a million words in his days,
And Aristotle about a million, as is generally said!
St Augustine expressed himself with five million
words or so;
But St Aquinas used some nine million words, -
as we now know!
Therefore, I am constrained to touch upon his works
briefly,
But will dwell at some length on his greatest one, -
the ‘Summa Theology’!

SHIFT OF FOCUS PLATO TO ARISTOTLE:
Plato mentioned an unbridgeable divide that separates,
Our material and illusory world from that eternal world
of ‘Forms’, -
Which he declared to be real and transcendent!
St Augustine had found this concept of two worlds
congenial to Christianity;
The eternal and Divine world, and the transient and
earthly;
And is said to have ‘baptized’ Plato’s pagan philosophy!
Now after eight centuries, Aquinas had ‘Christianized’
Aristotle,
By synthesizing his classical wisdom with Christian faith!
Initially the Church was suspicious of Aristotle’s treaties,
And between 1210 and 1215 had prohibited his teaching
in the Parisian University!

DIVISIONS OF WORKS OF AQUINAS:
Aquinas’ work has been segregated as follows; -
(a) Commentaries on Aristotle’s logic, metaphysics and
ethics;
On the Scriptures; and on the ‘Four Books of Sentence’
by Peter Lombard, all complete!
(b) A “Summary Against the Gentiles”, and unfinished
“Summary of Theology”, which due to his early death
was left incomplete!
(c) ‘Questions’; covered Disputed Questions, On Truth,
On the Soul, On Power, On Evil, and such treaties!
(d) ‘Opuscula’ (Selected Examples): On Being and Essence,
On Unity of Intellect Against Averroists; are examples of
his works, to say the least!

‘SUMMA THEOLOGY’ of St AQUINAS:

Scholastic philosophy reaches its culmination with
Thomas Aquinas,
While ‘Summa Theology’ is his most important as an
epic theological work!
It is a systematic compilation of the entire Christian
teachings till his time,
And became the basis of Roman Catholic doctrine for
all times!
The Summa with its three parts has a structure and a plan,
And explains the relationship between God and man!
Now each part is composed of a series of open questions,
And before answering he presents his opponents’ arguments, -
Which he finally counters with his own!
He quotes the Bible, St Augustine, the Church Fathers,
and also Aristotle;
And refutes his opponents with theological arguments!
But throughout his work one sees his firm conviction;
That between human reason and the truths of faith, -
there are no contradictions!
The Summa contains 612 questions,38 treaties and
around 3210 articles;
Through which ten thousand objections by St Aquinas
gets answered and settled!
Aquinas presents a synthesis of Aristotelian logic and
Christian philosophy,
Which later became the basis of Roman Catholic theology!
In 1879 Pope Leo XIII embraced his teachings as a part
of Church doctrine officially!

PART- I of SUMMA:
This part deals with God and His creation, which reaches
its zenith in man,
Therefore part one ends with the treaties on Man!
Aquinas provides ‘five ways’ as proof of God’s existence,
And His creation of the world within six days!
God is the ‘first cause’, who is Himself uncaused!
The ‘prime mover’ who remains unmovable, and exists
through his act of creation!
He is an absolutely necessary and a perfect being,
And a rational designer of all things!
While from these thoughts are derived and conceived, -
The unity, infinity and the goodness of the highest
being!
Thus, with such progressive and logical arguments, -
Aquinas proved God’s existence as self-evident!

PART –II of SUMMA
This part deals with man and some 303 ethical
questions,
And examines the restoration of humanity to God -
as its ultimate mission!
The treaties on human acts, passions, habits, virtues
and grace,
Show marked influence of Aristotle in many a place!
Aquinas skillfully extracts those portions compatible
with Christian faith;
And concludes with discussions on justice, prudence,
fortitude and temperance!

PART- III of SUMMA:
This concluding part remained unfinished due to
Aquinas’ early death,
An event which has been regarded as most unfortunate!
This part deals with Christ and how he brings about the
salvation of humankind;
With treaties on incarnation, sacraments and Christ’s
resurrection;
Thereby completing between heaven and earth, -
one perfect cyclic motion!
There is an upward and downward motion in God’s
creation;
With His initiative reaching downwards with man’s
creation;
And man’s return to God through faith, piety and
sacraments, -
Through Christ’s love, divine grace and forgiveness!
This gives ‘Summa Theology’ its marvelous unity,
And it remains as a great work for all posterity!

OPPONENTS and CHAMPIONS of AQUINAS:
The controversies created by his philosophical works,
Continued even after his death, for another five
hundred years!
Aquinas’ assertion that hope of attaining the beatific
vision, -
Was in vain during our earthly sojourn, which we
should postpone!
We had better cultivate the virtues and the perfections
instead,
Which were far more realizable during our present
earthly state!
Aquinas therefore encountered the ill-will of the
Mystics and the Franciscan order,
Led by his contemporary and a Franciscan called
Bonaventure!
Amongst his other critics I would like to mention
mainly two of them,
With whom the Scholastic Period draws to an end;
Are Duns Scotus and William of Occam!

The able Dominican disciples of Aquinas became
his staunch defenders,
Inclusive of his old teacher the great Albert Magnus!
They all hastened to Paris to uphold the teachings of
their dead Saint Aquinas!
His prestige is nowhere better seen than in Dante’s
Divine Comedy, which not only sings his praise;
But following Aquinas, solves every theological and
philosophical problem it raises!
However, in 1879 all controversies were finally brought
to an end,
By Pope Leo XIII, who directed and proclaimed, -
That the theological and philosophical teachings of
St Aquinas,
Should form the basis of the doctrine of the Catholic
Church! (TO BE CONTINUED! Thanks for reading,
from the author: Raj Nandy)