Warm Up 1. 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 ( ) Born in Southern Italy From a noble family Wealthy Older brother inherited wealth Primogeniture

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

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. 1 st Mover Things are in motion Something had to start the motion 2. 1 st 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