Throughout the middle ages, innovation was encouraged due to the spread of trade and knowledge. While many are quick to deem scientific and technological advancements the most vital to today’s political and societal climate, this is not true. Philosophers such as Roger Bacon, Peter Abelard, and others dished out theories and aided the rising role of religion in society. However, St. Thomas Aquinas’s role in boosting and spreading Christianity throughout Europe should be considered the most critical factor over these other blooming philosophies. To his work in thomism, his excellence in teaching, and his overall impact on some of the world’s leading religions, it is evident that St. Thomas Aquinas is the most influential out of these medieval philosophers and innovators. 

Around 1224 to 1225, Aquinas was born to a noble family in the Italian town of Rocco Secca. The youngest out of all of his siblings, Aquinas was quickly exposed to religion and wealth; his father was a count, and his mother was a descendant of French conquerors. Destined for greatness, at age five, he got placed in the nearby monastery of Monte Cassino. The monks encouraged him from a young age to read and explore works by Christian greats such as St. Augustine and other works by fellow Benedictine monks. Already having a firm foundation of Christian teachings, Aquinas was born with a foot up; and he would only continue to grow his knowledge and rise in power. However, his studies at the monastery were abruptly interrupted when war and violence were threatening safety. He was quickly shipped off to the University of Naples to avoid any further conflict. It is said this is where Aquinas was exposed to texts and theories that completely revolutionized his way of thinking. No longer just exposed to Christian and Catholic texts, the young man was able to explore Jewish and Islamic authors. By reading commentary on Greek theories (such as Aristotle’s works), Aquinas was heavily inspired by Averroës. Or as he called him, “the commentator”. Aquinas remained at the university for some time, able to soak in his newfound knowledge and start proposing his theories. During his studies, he was also exposed to a new group of monks called the Dominicans. Deciding to travel with them, his mother sent his brothers (now head of the family) after him. Despite being held in his room as a punishment, he ultimately got his way and was able to join them. He rose to the rank of novice in their group and was sent to Paris to study alongside teacher Albert the Great. While little is known about this period in his life, he and Albert quickly moved on to a college in Cologne Germany. Becoming his first mentor, Albert the Great shared his commentaries on past philosophers such as Aristotle and taught him the importance of human reason. Finally ready to advance in his academic career, Aquinas moved up from the role of student to teacher in 1252. He returned to his alma mater in Paris for seven years to start his writing career and play the role of teacher. Writing several works and essays during this time, Aquinas was starting to leave his mark on theology. Meaning, in as little as seven years, he was able to receive his master’s in theology and was a certified teacher; all because of his outstanding performance. For nine years, he took the role of a traveling teacher in Italy. Walking by foot, he found his Dominican brothers and taught them what he knew about theology and his beliefs. On his way, he found a monastery and was able to stay in the town of Anagni for two years. And then in 1261, he spent four years in Orvieto before moving to Santa Sabina for another two. It is rumored that during his four years in Orvieto, he came into contact with William of Moerbeke and inspired his famous translations of Aristotle’s works into their native tongues. While this is just rumored, it is completely possible knowing Aquinas’s rich background in Greek philosophy. Finally moving back to Paris to teach at the university again, his belief that faith and reason could fit together was highly criticized. While it eventually earned him fame after his death, during the time he was ridiculed for believing faith could intertwine with Aristotle’s theories of logic. However, in 1268, these self-proclaimed “Latin Averroists” were considered correct for stating faith and logic could only exist side by side. In 1272, Aquinas decided to make his way back up to Naples when he received an invitation from the Pope to join a group of major theologians in Lyons, France. However, at the age of 49, he grew too sick to continue. He was moved into a monastery to die in peace, and eventually succumbed in 1274.

While it is important to consider St. Thomas Aquinas’s background that led him to greatness, it is also important to focus on his philosophies and what he stood for. Labeled as the Christian Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas is given a lot of attention and hype. One of the most extraordinary features of his philosophy is how unwilling he was to change his opinion. Known to challenge Latin Averroists, Aquinas stuck to his belief that faith and reason can coexist. On the other hand, the Latin Averroists continued to argue that one had to remain on top; like a seesaw. In each case of life, it would sway in dominance. Similar to Aristotle and Islamic philosophers, Aquinas believed that this wasn’t the case; and that the natural world was some kind of divine intervention. Similar to the modern concept of intelligent design, Aquinas believed that God was responsible for designing every element of life. Including humankind. He believed that God created people with two main parts. Making each human unique and having a specialized soul, the theory that all of God’s children are perfect in his eyes stays factual. Through his teachings, Aquinas was able to spread Christianity in a way people had never seen before. His idea of logic and the natural world appealed to a lot of people; despite its negative reactions from the Latin Averroists. But this theory boomed in popularity after his death. Thomism is one of the major concepts taught in Catholic churches today. The idea that the material and spiritual world work in harmony with God’s pre-existing plan sets a calm and relaxed tone for how followers see the world. They can sit back and believe everything is for a reason and that life will work out. This theory of blind faith is pretty common in contemporary America and all across the world. Many religions favor the idea that the world will work itself out rather than exploration and finding the way (like unitarian universalist churches believe). Overall, Aquinas’s theories are all positive and focus on energy and spirit as he had a major influence on how people view metaphysics. Today, there is a huge surge in crystals and objects that are supposed to hold positive energy. Perhaps, Aquinas influenced this. He believed that all objects have energy, and the amount of energy they contain is based on hierarchy (with God at the top). Following this example, the logical conclusion would be that all inanimate objects hold energy. For example, a chair, or more popularly thought of as containing energy, a crystal. Each object has four components that build the energy force and defines its existence. Everything must have material cause to contain this force of energy. Meaning people and everything else in the world needs to have material energy. Defining the natural world, God put material energy into everything. Everything in the natural world has components that make it up and establish its worth. The majority of those following the Christian and Catholic religions incorporate thomism into their belief system. However, many of these followers don’t dig this deep into the theory of metaphysics. In simplest terms, Aquinas’s idea of thomism explains the balance between the spiritual and logical. This ever-so-important theory is still applicable today and surged after his untimely death. Similar to many famous artists, he was never able to see his work become well-known and appreciated. Aquinas would be ever so pleased to see that his concept and take on metaphysics, the natural world, and everything in between is still commonly followed- and it’s not going away anytime soon. 

Due to his outstanding work in philosophy and theology, St. Thomas Aquinas is the most influential philosopher of the middle ages. From his long-lasting contributions to Christianity to his adaptation of Aristotle’s take on logic and reason, he has earned his place. But why is this important? Why should a philosopher that took ideas from other philosophers and just added to them be considered influential in history? In response, that is how the world works. There is no original idea- just a span of knowledge constantly being updated like a dictionary. He took the philosophy he grew up reading and learned how to adapt it to his religion. He inspired the start of metaphysics and the way energy works in everything. Concludingly, it is evident that without Aquinas, the world would be completely different. If Christianity (one of the world’s leading religions) never took the direction it did, who knows where it would be now?  Whatever spin this theology would have gone, the world and its leaders would have never gone in the same direction.