The Summa Teologica By Thomas

685 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Brief summary of the theology of Thomas Aquinas

The Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas
Born in Italy, Thomas Aquinas was one of the most educated men of his time. Aquinas, whose family were noble, was educated as a monk and later continued his education at the University of Naples followed by the University of Paris where he studied the ancient Greek thought of Aristotle. Educated in both philosophy and theology,Aquinas is thought to be one of the most important philosophers of Catholicism. One ofAquinas's most influential writings is the
Summa Theologica. In this document, Aquinas clarifies four questions concerning the Church: Whether it can be demonstrated t Godexist? Whether it is always sinfuhatl to wage war? Whether it is lawful for Clerics and Bishops to fight? And whether it is lawful to fight on holy days? He answers each question thoroughly but indecisively; however, when he answers the second question it seems his conclusion have been manipulated in ways that can benefit the church without making them look double sided with their teachings.
The second question is: Whether it is always sinful to wage war? In this question Aquinas states in his objection (1), 'It would seem that it is always sinful to wage war because punishment is not inflicted except for sin. Now those who wage war are threatened by our Lord with punishment; therefore, all wars are unlawful.'; (172)
However, he justifies the act of war by giving three necessities. The first he mentions is only an au...

Show More
Related

  • The First Crusade and the Ideas of Crusading

    2006 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout the ten-century, particularly in France, the world had become an extremely violent place. Feudal Knights were often quarreling over land possession, looting, and looking to lay people to provide them with sustenance . Likewise, the power of these knights and the extent of violence flourished due to the increasingly lacking power and authority of the kings . The Church, in an attempt to halt the violence and anarchy attempted to take control and issued such concepts as “the Peace of God” . Similarly, at this time other movements for peace by the Church were underway, and one of the commonly held ideas was the need to transform the world to more “monkish ideals”. From these ideals also sprouted the concept of the laity having “God-given functions to perform, functions that could include fighting to protect the Church”. Pope Leo IX (1049-1054) is an example of this idea; he often used militia to fight against his opponents. In the early eleventh century, there came a pivotal figure in the ideas of Church sanctioned war, Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085). Pope Gregory was involved in the Investiture Contest, and soon turned to scholars to seek out “justification for his conviction that violence could be used in defense of the Church and could be authorized by it”. The movements generated by Pope Gregory, as well as the results of the Inve...

    Read More

  • Why Urban Called For A Crusade In 1095

    1511 Words  | 4 Pages

    With all the events which were occurring in the world, Urban had successfully chosen to launch the crusade at a time when the Christian West was ready to put a stop to the fighting in the East by eliminating all opposition to the Christians. It was also the perfect time for the Pope’s message of ‘guiltless, meritorious violence’. To an audience bred on fighting but fearful of hell the promise of an Indulgence was irresistible.

    Read More

  • The Inconsistent Use of John 15:12 in Peace Shall Destroy Many

    2220 Words  | 5 Pages

    BBC. "Christianity and the ethics of war." BBC - Religion. N.p., 3 Aug. 2009. Web. 14 Jan. 2012. .

    Read More

  • Pope Urban II and The Crusade

    1358 Words  | 3 Pages

    Pope Urban II naturally had a religious control over his people and when he gave his speech at the Council of Clermont in November 1905, he constantly referred to it as the will of God. His speech reminded them that the Crusades were their “concerns as well as God’s” . Throughout his speech, the Pope is constantly trying to align the need for men to fight with t...

    Read More

  • The Theodicies of Augustine and Boethius

    771 Words  | 2 Pages

    A foundational belief in Christianity is the idea that God is perfectly good. God is unable to do anything evil and all his actions are motives are completely pure. This principle, however, leads to many questions concerning the apparent suffering and wrong-doing that is prevalent in the world that this perfect being created. Where did evil come from? Also, how can evil exist when the only eternal entity is the perfect, sinless, ultimately good God? This question with the principle of God's sovereignty leads to even more difficult problems, including human responsibility and free will. These problems are not limited to our setting, as church fathers and Christian philosophers are the ones who proposed some of the solutions people believe today. As Christianity begins to spread and establish itself across Europe in the centuries after Jesus' resurrection, Augustine and Boethius provide answers, although wordy and complex, to this problem of evil and exactly how humans are responsible in the midst of God's sovereignty and Providence.

    Read More

  • The Teachings of Religion on War and Pacifism

    1570 Words  | 4 Pages

    Christians refuse to fight at war, they can still be part of war in a

    Read More

  • The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, by Amin Maalouf

    1343 Words  | 3 Pages

    Since this paper is my reflection, I will be honest by stating that I am nineteen years old, white, a male, and have been raised in a Catholic family just outside of Louisville, Kentucky. Now why is this important? This is important because the only viewpoint of the crusades that I have studied, prior to my experience with Maalouf, has been from the Christian point of view. Until now, I have yet to place myself in the shoes of those on the opposite end of the sword, shields, and Jihad. History is a touchy subject for me because I have come to learn there is always another side of the story to learn from. This fact leads to the first main thesis of Maalouf’s adventure.

    Read More

  • Just War Theory Essay

    763 Words  | 2 Pages

    The just war theory is described by Thomas Massaro in his book Living Justice as the “principle that warfare might be justified under certain conditions” (108). The complexities involved with international relations makes determining a just war very difficult. Even though historically pacifism hasn’t gained much traction within Catholic circles, it currently is gaining popularity with many mainstream Catholics. With so many differing views on military action, one might ask, “What determines a just war? How can we balance the need for peace with self-defense?” An examination of criteria for a just war and critiques written on this topic might shed light on these two questions.

    Read More

  • Second World War as a Holy War

    718 Words  | 2 Pages

    Just War to a much larger extent than a Holy War. This is because it

    Read More

  • The Crusades: Short Term and Long Term Effects

    1023 Words  | 3 Pages

    In order for the crusades to begin, the Christians needed to gather an army to travel and fight the forces of Muslims. With all the power being held by monarchies at this time, the church needed to be cleaver in order to gain troops to put their lives on the line. To gain the support of these warriors and dedication of men, Pope Urban II (1088-1099) challenged those morals of men by telling them to grab their weapons and join the holy war to recover the land of Jerusalem. It was not the challenge that convinced men to take part in this war. The promise of “immediate remission of sins” attracted the men to stand up for their religion and beliefs while at the same time, promising them a trip to heaven when life comes to an end. With this statement, men instantly prepared for battle which in a very short period of time gave the church power which has been held by the monarchies. Men of rich and poor prepared for battle, some wearing ...

    Read More

  • The Importance of the Just War Theory of Saint Augustine

    539 Words  | 2 Pages

    “(1) There must be a just cause; (2) Wars must be declared and carried out by proper authority; and (3) The final objective must always be peace. Moreover, Augustine insists that soldiers shoul...

    Read More

  • Tribalism

    2356 Words  | 5 Pages

    Warfare is the greatest affair of state, the basis of life and death, the Tao of survival and extinction. It must be thoroughly pondered and analyzed.

    Read More

  • A Philosophical Criticism of Augustine and Aquinas

    1533 Words  | 4 Pages

    A Philosophical Criticism of Augustine and Aquinas: The Relationship of Soul and Body The relationship of the human soul and physical body is a topic that has mystified philosophers, scholars, scientists, and mankind as a whole for centuries. Human beings, who are always concerned about their place as individuals in this world, have attempted to determine the precise nature or state of the physical form. They are concerned for their well-being in this earthly environment, as well as their spiritual well-being; and most have been perturbed by the suggestion that they cannot escape the wrongs they have committed while in their physical bodies.

    Read More

  • The Natural Law by Thomas Aquinas

    1682 Words  | 4 Pages

    of right and wrong buried within him. This sense guides people, culture, and even whole countries to act in certain ways. Thomas Aquinas called this innate sense the natural law. The natural law is established by God in order to make men more virtuous. When examined closely it is found that the natural law contains the precept of all law and, is at odds with certain laws that exist today, specifically abortion.

    Read More

  • Religion Causes War

    2317 Words  | 5 Pages

    Thacker, Justin. Does religion cause war? UCCF: The Christian Unions, Registered Charity number 306137, 9 January 2009. Web. 15 April 2012.

    Read More

More about The Summa Teologica By Thomas

Open Document