Top 100 Quotes About Thomas Aquinas
#1. The most blessed result of prayer would be to rise thinking "But I never knew before. I never dreamed ... " I suppose it was at such a moment that Thomas Aquinas said of all his own theology, "It reminds me of straw.
C.S. Lewis
#2. Even when I feared and detested Christianity, I was struck by its essential unity, which, in spite of its divisions, it has never lost. I trembled on recognizing the same unmistakable aroma coming from the writings of Dante and Bunyan, Thomas Aquinas and William Law.
C.S. Lewis
#3. What the jogger's face shows is not boredom but contemplation, which Thomas Aquinas described as man's highest activity save one - contemplation plus putting the fruits of that contemplation into action.
George Sheehan
#4. Here (in Thomas Aquinas) is the mind that prepared the way for the scientific and industrial revolutions. Here is the mind that was Catholic enough to embrace any good idea, from wherever it came.
John Mark Reynolds
#5. It was even possible for the most venerated patriarchs of the Church, like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, to conclude that heretics should be tortured (Augustine) or killed outright (Aquinas).
Sam Harris
#6. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law.
Martin Luther King Jr.
#7. Wonder is defined by Thomas [Aquinas] in the Summa Theologiae [I-II, Q. 32, a. 8], as the desiderium sciendi, the desire for knowledge, active longing to know.
Josef Pieper
#8. St. Thomas Aquinas taught that water has been a natural sacrament since the dawn of creation. In the age of nature - from Adam through the patriarchs - water refreshed and cleansed humankind.
Scott Hahn
#9. Discrimination against Jews can be read in Thomas Aquinas, and insults against Jews in Martin Luther.
Lionel Blue
#10. University of Chicago is a Baptist school, where atheist professors teach Jewish students about St. Thomas Aquinas.
Martin Gardner
#11. The first-cause and prime-mover argument, brilliantly proffered by St. Thomas Aquinas in the fourteenth century (and brilliantly refuted by David Hume in the eighteenth century), is easily turned aside with just one more question: Who or what caused and moved God?
Michael Shermer
#12. Leave to every one the care of what belongs to him, and disturb not thyself with what is said or done in the world. - ST. THOMAS AQUINAS.
Various
#13. Facts in our day are not the same as the facts in the time of Aristotle or Thomas Aquinas. But the principles by which these facts are interpreted have not changed, for common sense remains essentially the same throughout the ages.
Fulton J. Sheen
#14. Thomas Aquinas states parenthetically, as something entirely obvious, that men are more rational than women. For my part, I see no evidence of this.
Bertrand Russell
#15. Thomas Aquinas said of suffering, as Aristotle had said of shame, that it was a thing not good in itself; but a thing which might have a certain goodness in particular circumstances. That is to say, if evil is present, pain at recognition of the evil, being a kind of knowledge, is relatively good.
C.S. Lewis
#16. Saint Thomas Aquinas explains how, with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, a person's whole spiritual being becomes responsive to God's light, not only the light of knowledge but also the inspiration of love. I have prayed for the gifts of the Holy Spirit since my youth and I continue to do so.
Pope John Paul II
#17. The 'words' of Augustine, Origen, Clement of Alexandria, St. John of Damascus, St. Thomas Aquinas, et al, may not have carried the weight of Canon, however they were neither paper-like nor mere 'pellets'."
~R. Alan Woods [2012]
R. Alan Woods
#18. Thomas Aquinas put forward the basis of modern just war theory, suggesting that war cannot be fought for personal gain and must be waged by a legitimate body, and that the overriding motive must be to secure peace.
DK Publishing
#19. If somebody is going to try to paste a person's view on epistemology to me, then give me Thomas Aquinas. Don't give me Ayn Rand.
Paul Ryan
#20. Professors of Greek forget or are unaware that Thomas Aquinas, who did not know Greek, was a better interpreter of Aristotle than any of them have proved to be, not only because he was smarter but because he took Aristotle more seriously.
Allan Bloom
#21. Even theologians, even the great theologians of the thirteenth century, even Saint Thomas Aquinas himself did not trust to faith alone, or assume the existence of God.
Henry Adams
#22. A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of Saint Thomas Aquinas, an unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal and natural law.
Martin Luther
#23. The test of the artist does not lie in the will with which he goes to work, but in the excellence of the work he produces.
Thomas Aquinas
#24. The celebration of Holy Mass is as valuable as the death of Jesus on the cross.
Thomas Aquinas
#25. Thus the sun which possesses light perfectly, can shine by itself; whereas the moon which has the nature of light imperfectly, sheds only a borrowed light.
Thomas Aquinas
#26. Again, it is self-evident that truth exists. For truth exists if anything at all is true, and if anyone denies that truth exists, he concedes that it is true that it does not exist, since if truth does not exist it is then true that it does not exist.
Thomas Aquinas
#28. Theology is taught by God, teaches God, and leads to God.
Thomas Aquinas
#30. In a false person, sacraments do not produce any effect.
Thomas Aquinas
#31. Peace is the work of justice indirectly, in so far as justice removes the obstacles to peace; but it is the work of charity (love) directly, since charity, according to its very notion, causes peace.
Thomas Aquinas
#32. Man should not consider his material possessions as his own, but as common to all, so as to share them without hesitation when others are in need
Thomas Aquinas
#33. Angels transcend every religion, every philosophy, every creed.
In fact Angels have no religion as we know it ...
Their existence precedes every religious system that has ever
existed on Earth ...
Thomas Aquinas
#34. Mistakes are made on two counts: an argument is either based on error or incorrectly developed.
Thomas Aquinas
#36. A man should remind himself that an object of faith is not scientifically demonstrable, lest presuming to demonstrate what is of faith, he should produce inconclusive reasons and offer occasion for unbelievers to scoff at a faith based on such ground.
Thomas Aquinas
#37. By nature all men are equal in liberty, but not in other endowments.
Thomas Aquinas
#38. There is nothing to unify God and the soul but the Cross.
Louis De Wohl
#39. Further, nothing, except sin, is contrary to an act of virtue. But war is contrary to peace. Therefore war is always a sin.
Thomas Aquinas
#40. When the devil is called the god of this world, it is not because he made it, but because we serve him with our worldliness.
Thomas Aquinas
#41. BEDE. (ubi sup.) Repent, therefore, and believe; that is, renounce dead works; for of what use is believing without good works? The merit of good works does not, however, bring to faith, but faith begins, that good works may follow.
Thomas Aquinas
#42. It is necessary for the perfection of human society that there should be men who devote their lives to contemplation.
Thomas Aquinas
#43. Love works in a circle, for the beloved moves the lover by stamping a likeness, and the lover then goes out to hold the beloved inreality. Who first was the beginning now becomes the end of motion.
Thomas Aquinas
#44. Any time you feel the desire to eat a pint of Cherry Garcia ice cream, commit adultery,
avoid confessing your sins, or hate your boss, your concupiscible passions are stirring.
Taylor R. Marshall
#45. The study of truth requires a considerable effort - which is why few are willing to undertake it out of love of knowledge - despite the fact that God has implanted a natural appetite for such knowledge in the minds of men.
Thomas Aquinas
#46. I cannot go on ... All that I have written seems to me like so much straw compared to what I have seen and what has been revealed to me.
Thomas Aquinas
#47. Man is closer to God according to his existence in grace than he is according to his existence in nature.
Thomas Aquinas
#48. Arrive at knowledge over small streamlets, and do not plunge immediately into the ocean, since progress must go from the easier to the more difficult.
Thomas Aquinas
#50. An angel can illumine the thought and mind of man by strengthening the power of vision and by bringing within his reach some truth which the angel himself contemplates.
Thomas Aquinas
#51. It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes.
Thomas Aquinas
#52. While injustice is the worst of sins, despair is the most dangerous; because when you are in despair you care neither about yourself nor about others.
Thomas Aquinas
#53. The world tempts us either by attaching us to it in prosperity, or by filling us with fear of adversity. But faith overcomes this in that we believe in a life to come better than this one, and hence we despise the riches of this world and we are not terrified in the face of adversity.
Thomas Aquinas
#54. A scrap of knowledge about sublime things is worth more than any amount about trivialities.
Thomas Aquinas
#56. Hence it is predicated chiefly of the virtuous; then of the pleasant; and lastly of the useful.
Thomas Aquinas
#57. Because philosophy arises from awe, a philosopher is bound in his way to be a lover of myths and poetic fables. Poets and philosophers are alike in being big with wonder.
Thomas Aquinas
#59. Now in matters of action the reason directs all things in view of the end:
Thomas Aquinas
#60. There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.
Thomas Aquinas
#61. Thus Angels' Bread is made The Bread of man today: The Living Bread from Heaven With figures doth away: O wondrous gift indeed! The poor and lowly may Upon their Lord and Master feed.
Thomas Aquinas
#62. Every truth without exception- and whoever may utter it- is from the Holy Spirit.
Thomas Aquinas
#63. Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen.
Thomas Aquinas
#64. Locus ab auctoritate est infirmissimus. [The argument from authority is the weakest.]
Thomas Aquinas
#65. One aspect of neighbourly love is that we must not merely will our neighbours good, but actually work to bring it about.
Thomas Aquinas
#66. It is only God who creates. Man merely rearranges.
Thomas Aquinas
#67. The truth can be perceived only through thinking, as is proven by Augustine.
Thomas Aquinas
#69. Better to illuminate than merely to shine to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate.
Thomas Aquinas
#70. Concerning perfect blessedness which consists in a vision of God.
Thomas Aquinas
#72. To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.
Thomas Aquinas
#75. Wonder was the motive that led people to philosophy ... wonder is a kind of desire in knowledge. It is the cause of delight because it carries with it the hope of discovery.
Thomas Aquinas
#76. In the old law, God was praised both with musical instruments, and human voices. But the church does not use musical instruments to praise God, lest she should seem to judaize.
Thomas Aquinas
#78. The Stone is one, the Medicine is one, to which we add nothing, only in the preparation removing superfluities.
Thomas Aquinas
#79. For those with faith, no evidence is necessary; for those without it, no evidence will suffice.
Thomas Aquinas
#80. Baptism is not to be conferred on a man who is unwilling to give up his other sins, so neither should Baptism be given to one who is unwilling to renounce his unbelief. Nevertheless, each of them receives the Sacrament if it is conferred on him, although not unto salvation.
Thomas Aquinas
#81. See to whom Jesus is drawing near, three kinds of people: to those who make peace with him, to those who are devoted to God, and to those who are kind to their neighbors.
Thomas Aquinas
#83. God destines us for an end beyond the grasp of reason.
Thomas Aquinas
#84. The proper effect of the Eucharist is the transformation of man into God.
Thomas Aquinas
#85. Without sanctifying grace it is not possible to refrain long from mortal sin.
Thomas Aquinas
#87. "The Jews should not be allowed to keep what they have obtained from others by usury; it were best that they were compelled to worked so that they could earn their living instead of doing nothing but becoming avaricious."
Thomas Aquinas
#88. As the saints will rejoice in all goods, so will the damned grieve for all goods.
Thomas Aquinas
#90. God himself would not permit evil in this world if good did not come of it for the benefit and harmony of the universe.
Thomas Aquinas
#91. To pretend angels do not exist because they are invisible is to believe we never sleep because we don't see ourselves sleeping.
Thomas Aquinas
#93. The greatness of the human being consists in this:
that it is capable of the universe.
Thomas Aquinas
#94. Even as in heaven there will be most perfect charity, so in hell there will be the most perfect hate.
Thomas Aquinas
#95. The happy life does not mean loving what we possess, but possessing what we love. Possession of the beloved, St. Thomas holds, takes place in an act of cognition, in seeing, in intuition, in contemplation.
Josef Pieper
#96. For just as the first general precepts of the law of nature are self-evident to one in possession of natural reason, and have no need of promulgation, so also that of believing in God is primary and self-evident to one who has faith: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is.
Thomas Aquinas
#97. The highest perfection of human life consists in the mind of man being detached from care, for the sake of God.
Thomas Aquinas
#99. The blessed in the kingdom of heaven will see the punishments of the damned, in order that their bliss be more delightful for them.
Thomas Aquinas
#100. It is better to illuminate than merely to shine.
Maius est illuminare quam lucere solum.
Thomas Aquinas
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