biography
| name: |
Aquinas, St Thomas
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known as Doctor Angelicus (‘angelic doctor’)
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pronunciation:
[akwiynas]
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1225–74)
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| biography:
| Scholastic philosopher and theologian, born in the castle of Roccasecca, near Aquino, SC Italy. He studied with the Benedictines of Monte Cassino, and at the University of Naples; and, against the bitter opposition of his family, entered the Dominican order of mendicant friars (1244). His brothers kidnapped him and kept him a prisoner in the paternal castle for over a year; in the end he made his way to Cologne to become a pupil of Albertus Magnus. In 1252 he went to Paris, and taught there, until in 1258 he was summoned by the pope to teach successively in Anagni, Orvieto, Rome, and Viterbo. He died at Fossanuova on his way to defend the papal cause at the Council of Lyon, and was canonized in 1323. His prolific writings display great intellectual power, and he came to exercise enormous intellectual authority throughout the Church. In his philosophical writings he tried to combine and reconcile Aristotle's scientific rationalism with Christian doctrines of faith and revelation. His best-known works are two huge encyclopedic syntheses. The Summa contra Gentiles (1259–64) deals chiefly with the principles of natural religion. His incomplete Summa theologiae (1266–73) contains his mature thought in systematic form, and includes the famous ‘five ways’ or proofs of the existence of God. Thomism now represents the general teaching of the Catholic Church. Feast day 7 March. |
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