CHAPTER 8
Aquinas and Descartes:
Faith and Reason
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
St. Thomas Aquinas was bom in Roccasecca, Italy in 1225.
He was taught by Benedictines at Monte Casino, but because of
unsettled political conditions returned home and in 1239 studied
for a while at the University of Naples. Then, in 1244, in spite of
strong opposition from his family, members of the Italian
nobility, he entered the Dominicans, a religious order of preach
ers. From 1245 to 1252 he studied philosophy and theology in
Paris and Cologne under Albertus Magnus.
In 1252 he returned to the Dominican convent of St. James in
Paris where he lectured, now as a priest. In 1256 he was
appointed to one of the chairs of philosophy for the Dominicans
at the University of Paris. In 1259 he returned to Italy and
remained there for nine years.
By this time in his life he had written much, including
commentaries on the works of other important philosophers. In
1258 he wrote Summa Contra Gentiles, in which he tried to
convince non-Christians that the doctrines of Christianity were
reasonable. In 1265 he began his most mature and most cel
ebrated work, Summa Theologica, in which he systematically
explained Christian theology. During this period he used his
understanding of Aristotle to begin the process of reconciling
Aristotelean philosophy with Christian theology.
From 1268 to 1274 he taught alternately at Paris and the
University of Naples. While in Naples he revised the curriculum
and continued writing. He was called to Lyons to consult with
Pope Gregory and, on the way, became ill and died in a Cistercian
Monastery on March 7,1274.
Aquinas is considered an Aristotelian. He combined Aristotle’s
teachings about reason with the Christian concept of faith. He
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