Wednesday, January 28 Thomas Aquinas, teacher, died 1274

 



Wednesday, January 28
Thomas Aquinas, teacher, died 1274

Thomas of Aquino or Thomas Aquinas remains one of the most brilliant and creative theologians in the church's history. During his early life the Philosophy of Aristotle, which had been written in Greek and which had been lost in the west was first translated by Muslim Arab scholars in the near East and for the first time was being translated into the common University language of Europe, that is Latin. As those studying Medicine, the Philosophy and the Liberal Arts, Theology, or Law (the sciences of the time) increasingly were debating and discussing Aristotle’s philosophy in the major universities of Europe, new questions were being raised as never before about whether this newly rediscovered philosophy might be used as a model to discuss Scripture and Theology. This import of this newly rediscovered philosophy created a crisis in the Church, not unlike the rise of Darwinism challenged some parts of the Church in the late 19^th and early 20^th century. Thomas found a way to bring this much studied philosophy together with the discussion of Scripture and Theology as no one else had before.
He was descended from several of the most prominent and noble families in Europe. He was born in 1225 on his family’s estate in Roccasecca, Italy, in the county of Aquino, which had been in his family for generations. He became a member of the Order of Preachers (O.P.) also known as the Dominicans. At his consecration as a friar, like all who were received as brothers into the Dominican order at the time, Thomas received the tonsure For the Dominicans meant that his hair was cut so that the top of his head was shaved, thus the hair on the side was intended to resemble the crown of thorns on the head of Christ. Aquinas quickly displayed a natural aptitude for theology. He had a considerable influence as a teacher and theologian on Western thought down to the present. His two major works were the Summa contra Gentiles (a summa is type of major treatise, in this case against the non-Christian nations). It was considered a missionary handbook for centuries and influenced his greatest and most extensive work in Systematic Theology, the Summa Theologica. He also wrote several Biblical commentaries, and hymns including the hymn including Eucharistic hymn, # 476 in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship, “Thee We Aore, O Savior.”
Thomas is honored as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church and is held to be the model teacher for those studying for the priesthood. He was regarded as the core part of theological study for Roman Catholic theologians and seminary students. Aquinas is honored as a Latin Doctor of the Church, an honor only bestowed upon 34 other women and men by the Roman Catholic Church. He is remembered on this day since he died on January 28, 1274.