Thomas Aquinas Biography

Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican theologian hailed as the father of the Thomistic school of theology. A Catholic priest, he was also a prominent philosopher, and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism. Originally named Tommaso d'Aquino, he is hailed as the most influential Western medieval legal scholar and theologist, and was instrumental in the development of several concepts in modern philosophy. He himself was greatly inspired by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle and attempted to integrate Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity. He was considered an authority of the Roman Catholic Church for his ability to effortlessly combine the theological principles of faith with the philosophical principles of reason. He was born as the youngest child in a large family of lower nobility in Italy. It is said that when his mother was pregnant with him, a holy hermit told her that her son would one day become a great learner and achieve unequaled sanctity. He decided to embark on a religious career as a young man despite vehement opposition from his family. He went on to earn his doctorate in theology and became a much respected scholar. He devoted much of his life to traveling, writing, teaching, public speaking and preaching. A prolific writer, he penned several commentaries on the Bible and discussions of Aristotle's writings on natural philosophy