Quotessence
Home / Authors / Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas Quotes

Priest

Filter quotes by topic

AllMenPowerfulIfsSinCatholicDoeSaintReasonKnowsLove IsSacramentsHumansDivineEvilNeedsPhilosophicalWorldCharityChristianMay

Famous Thomas Aquinas Quotes

“Whatever is in motion must be put in motion by another. If that by which it is put in motion be itself put in motion, then this also must needs be put in motion by another, and that by another again. But this cannot go on to infinity, because then there would be no first mover, and, consequently, no other mover; seeing that subsequent movers move only inasmuch as they are put in motion by the first mover; as the staff moves only because it is put in motion by the hand. Therefore it is necessary to arrive at a first mover, put in motion by no other; and this everyone understands to be God.”

IfsNeedsFirstsGodHandsWould BeMovingSeeingGoes OnInfinityStaff
Book:A Summa of the Summa: The Essential Philosophical Passages of St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica
Create image

“The human race was in need of salvation because of the perversity of sin. For when people who are ill are cured from their illness, they are called "saved." Therefore, the Lord says: "Your faith has saved you.”

PeopleNeedsHumansSinRaceLordSalvationIllIllnessSavedHuman RacePerversity
Book:The Academic Sermons (The Fathers of the Church, Mediaeval Continuation, Volume 11)
Create image

“What can be accomplished by a few principles is not effected by many. But it seems that everything we see in the world can be accounted for by other principles, supposing God did not exist. For all natural things can be reduced to one principle, which is nature, and all voluntary things can be reduced to one principle, which is human reason, or will. Therefore there is no need to suppose God's existence.”

WorldNeedsHumansReasonSeemsNaturalExistencePrinciplesAtheismPositive AtheismAccomplishedNatural ThingsSupposingHuman Reason
Author:Thomas Aquinas
Create image

“If there were some solitary or feral man, the passions of the soul would be sufficient for him; by them he would be conformed to things in order that he might have knowledge of them. But because man is naturally political and social, there is need for one man to make his conceptions known to others, which is done with speech. So significant speech was needed if men were to live together. Which is why those of different tongues do not easily live together.”

IfsMenNeedsDifferentSoulDoneMightWould BeTogetherPoliticalOrderPassionSocialKnownCommunicationNeededSpeechTongueSignificantSufficientOne ManConceptionSolitary
Author:Thomas Aquinas
Create image