1. Still more Aristotle

2. Dante Alighieri (1265 – 1321)  Wrote The Divine Comedy, a distillation of history, theology, and politics up to the 14 th century

4. St. Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) Proofs of the existence of God

5. The five proofs  The argument of the unmoved mover  The argument of the first cause  The argument from contingency  The argument from degree  The teleological argument

6. Aquinas’ Concept of God  Continuing ruler of nature  God is the primary cause of all that happens but there are secondary causes through He works.  God works through natural causes, governs the world through angels, and acts directly through miracles.

7. The role of humanity  Man is the center of the cosmic drama; nature is subordinate.  History = Creation, Covenant, Christ, Church, and Consummation  All nature serves humanity and humanity serves God.