The modernity of Saint Thomas Aquinas

Saint Thomas Aquinas lived at the time when western culture faced a new problem: the arrival of the Aristotelian corpus in Latin translation reopened the question of the relation between faith and reason. This crisis flared up just as universities were being founded. At 1085, when Toledo was recaptured by the Christians from the Arabs, they found Aristotelian works there, which were translated into Latin.

In Baghdad from the 8th centuries translating offices were working, where from Syriac and from Greek mostly Aristotelian works had been translated. This is the origin of the Arabs philosophy. One of the biggest Arabs philosopher is Averroes (Ibn Rushd), who made well known the idea of Aristotle's natural science in Europe in the Medieval. Of course the thoughts of Aristotle is not compatible with the Christian ideology. This is the reason why a synod in Paris in 1210 prohibited to read Aristotle, except his writing on logic. It was the "doctor Egregius", who tried to make harmony between them- with success.
The result was a new modus vivendi between faith and philosophy which survived until the rise of the new physics. Thomas's theological writings became regulative of the Catholic Church and his close textual commentaries on Aristotle represent a cultural resource which is now receiving increased recognition.

Saint Thomas has a huge appreciation in the Church, not only because of what he taught but also because of the dialogue which he undertook with the Arab and Jewish thought of his time. In an age when Christian thinkers were rediscovering the treasures of ancient philosophy, and more particularly of Aristotle, Thomas had the great merit of giving pride of place to the harmony which exists between faith and reason. Both the light of reason and the light of faith come from God, he argued; hence there can be no contradiction between them.

His epoch-making magnitude is to unite the academic intelligibility with the easy understanding. If somebody make an effort to read through his work, will be able to do it with joy; and it will be move not only to his mind but to his heart...