Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

"His thought. Thomas combined Aristotle's teachings with Christian doctrine. For example, Thomas argued that no conflict exists between reason and faith. Philosophy is based on reason, he declared, and theology comes from faith in divine revelation, yet both come from God. So Thomas believed that any differences between divine revelation and the conclusions of philosophy result from faulty reasoning. He also maintained that reason can support faith. Thomas accepted--on faith--the idea that God exists. However, he formulated five proofs of His existence to support such a belief. According to Thomas, all people desire happiness, but they can satisfy this desire only through direct communion with God. He believed that God gives grace to help human beings overcome the influence of sin and achieve this communion. Thomas taught that the sacraments are important in communicating God's grace to people. Thomas believed that governments have a moral responsibility to serve people and to help them lead virtuous lives. He declared that governments must not violate what he considered human rights--life, education, religion, and reproduction. Thomas also taught that--to be just--laws passed by human beings must not contradi