Capella 1

Jakelinne Capella
Professor Alexander Izrailevsky
Introduction to Philosophy
April 20, 2015

Thomas Aquinas: Philosophy/Theology Reconciliation?

Is it really possible to reconcile Religion and Philosophy? During the 13th century
Thomas Aquinas the most important philosopher of his times, successfully attempted to reconcile
the Aristotelian philosophy through the reason, with the Christian Theology through the faith.
The masterly mind of Thomas Aquinas was able to achieve, using logic and revelation, to
synthesize in his masterpiece the "Summa Theologica" the principles of the Catholic Church,
arguing specific problems of his epoch, but giving at the same time a solution to these objections.
The middle edge was the edge of the Roman Catholic Church in Europe, a religious and
cultural community called Christendom. Every state in Europe was Catholic. The Church started
building the most prestigious universities with a sophisticated academic system, The

Capella 2

Scholasticism. It was also the period of the friars and monasticism growth and the flourishing of
the arts and theology.
Thomas Aquinas one of the greatest philosophers and theologian of his time, was born in
Roccasecca the Kingdom of Naples, Italy in 1225. At the edge of five years old he was placed
by his parents in the Abbey of Montecassino, where he made his first studies. A few years later
when the monastery became a battle site his parents transferred him to the University of Naples.
In this city he was in contact with the Dominicans Mendicant Order, and Thomas attracted with
their life entered the Order with the disapproval of his family.
The Dominicans sent him to Cologne to continue with his studies, and it was there where
he met Albertus Magnus, a German Catholic philosopher, called the Universal Teacher, who
initiated him into the metaphysics and anthropology of Aristotle. Thomas was strong and taciturn
man, this is the reason why his classmates called him the silent mule, but on the contrary, his
teacher predicted that this mule one day will fill the world with his bellowing".
Thomas was a prolific writer. He commented systematically Aristotles works integrating
it into Christian theology, he also wrote, Disputed Questions the works that were typically of
the university at the time-, commentaries on the Scriptures, sermons, liturgical works, treaties,
theological synthesis , by which he is best known, and the most famous are the Summa
Theologica and Summa contra Gentiles.
In 1256 Tomas Aquinas received his Licentiate and he became the professor of
Philosophy at the University of Paris. In 1268 he got involved in a controversy with the French
philosopher Siger of Brabant and the called Latin Averroists. To understand the reasons for this
controversy is important to understand how the Western thought has been developed.

Capella 3

Before Tomas Aquinas, the vigorous and dominant western thinking stands out in the
philosophy of Saint Augustine, the great Father and Doctor of the Catholic Church over the
fourth and fifth centuries, who believed that pursuit for truth should rely on the experience of the
senses.
In the 13th century, the philosophy took on a new momentum with the arrival of
Aristotles writings translation by Arabs and Jews. The philosophical texts were introduced by
Arab Scholars into Spain through Northern Africa, again placing on the table the controversial
relation between faith and reason.
The empirical knowledge returned with the impetus of Aristotles teaching, resulting in
the formation of a new movement called Latin Averroists, that led by Siger of Brabant,
asserted that the philosophy was independent of revelation.
On the other hand, Thomas friend William of Moerbeke, a Hellenistic expert translator
was entrusted to translate into Latin, (the language of the Church and school) almost all the work
of Aristotle, which was circulating until then in Arabic, Persian, and other languages.
For Thomas Aquinas, philosophy-theology is a harmonious relation between reason and
faith, between the natural and supernatural order. The order of natural knowledge belongs to the
human reason, resulting in philosophy, and has a demonstrative character. The order of
supernatural knowledge belongs to the revelation, resulting in theology, and has a fideism
character.
He said that some of the truths are accessible to reason and others exceed it, since they
cannot be known by reason and are known only by revelation. Both types of knowledge
ultimately come from God, so between them, there can be no contradiction but cooperation.

Capella 4

Revelation guides the reason preventing errors. Reason can serve the faith to clarify and defend
the mysteries of revelation. Some beliefs can never be proved by reason and others do (e.g.
existence of God and immortality of the soul). Thomas Aquinas died on March 7, 1274 at the
Cistercian monastery of Fossanuova, per Pope Gregory X requests.
Concluding, I would like to express my admiration for such a great philosopher as
Thomas Aquinas was, not because I am also Catholic, but because of his vision in guiding the
church into the future, for his personality and knowledge, the methodical, clear and concise form
he display in his writings, and by the strength he showed in leading the thought of his time in a
new direction, despite all the obstacles he knew they would be presented in the way.

Capella 5

Works Cited
Copleston, Frederick C. "XXXI." A History of Philosophy. Image ed. Vol. I,II,III. Garden City,
NY: Image, April 1985. 302+.
Kennedy, Daniel. "St. Thomas Aquinas." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. New York:
Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 19 Apr. 2015
McInerny, Ralph, and John O'Callaghan. "Saint Thomas Aquinas." Stanford University. Stanford
University, 12 July 1999. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.