Thomas Aquinas and John Duns Scotus
• A brief look at two great Scholastic theologians reveals both
the consistency and diversity in medieval theology, as well as
its cosmopolitanism.
• Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), known later as the “Angelic
Doctor,” produced a staggeringly great volume of thought in more
than 90 works in his short 49 years of life. Although he called his
work “so much straw” before his death and although it was at
first condemned by the church, it remains the gold standard for
Catholic theology.
o Aquinas wrote commentaries on the philosophical writings
of Aristotle, especially in metaphysics; commentaries on
Scripture; defenses of the Dominicans against their opponents;
liturgical works; philosophical treatises; and some 85 sermons.o His greatest works, however, are the two Summas (meaning
“compendium” or “systematic encyclopedia”), the Summa contra
gentiles and the Summa theologiae (or Summa theologica).o Following the basic structure of Lombard’s Sentences, the
four parts of the Summa theologiae move inexorably through
every question that faith poses to the human intellect, above
all those posed by philosophy. Thus, Aquinas boldly and
famously developed five rational proofs for the existence of
God, though he knows the character of God must be learned
through revelation.o The pattern of every “disputed question” is that of dialectic:
presenting arguments for and against a truth before
demonstrating the correct opinion, then answering the
objections. The Summa is a thoroughgoing engagement of
Christian faith and Greek philosophy.• John Duns Scotus (1265–1308) was a Franciscan who studied
and lectured at Oxford, then completed his requirements for the