Warm Up1. Do you believe that you have a soul? If so, what do you

think happens to your soul after you die?

2. If you believe in God, what proof do you have that he/she/it exists? Do you really need any?

3. Why do you believe people should do good things or the right things?

St. Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Born in Southern Italy

From a noble family Wealthy

Older brother inherited wealthPrimogeniture

Aquinas Studies to be a priest

University of Naples

Young and brilliant student

Falls in with the Dominican Order Monks that focused on good works Gave up their money and power

To Praise, To Bless, and to Preach

Kidnapping Travels to Rome to become a monk

Brothers kidnap him, held captive in father’s castle for a year

Refuses to change his mind, goes to Rome

Aquinas and Aristotle Aristotle was a man of science

Order, natural world, how things worked Metaphysics

Aristotle had been ignored for a thousand years Didn’t square with Christianity Nobody read during the Dark Ages!

Can we fit science in with religion?

God and the soul God doesn’t look like a man

Some believed our souls just went into one big cosmic soul Aquinas believed our souls maintain their identity God gives us each a unique soul for all eternity

To get into heaven, one must show love to God on earth Doing good things = Loving God

God = Good

Summa Theologica

Summa Theologica History of all Catholic reason and thought

Talks about Augustine, Aristotle, Judaism, Islam, Christianity

Wants to prove the Catholic Church is the one true faith

Five Proofs of God’s Existence

1. 1st Mover Things are in motion Something had to start the motion

2. 1st Cause All effects have a cause There had to be an original cause

Five Proofs of God’s Existence

3. Necessary Being All living beings are born and die There had to be a creation of the first being

4. Greatest Being All beings have levels of greatness There must be a greatest being at the top

5. Intelligent Designer All things that act must be designed