Aquinas and the Biblical Grounds of the Doctrine of Creation

An Analysis of Thomas Aquinas’s Creation Theology in the Light of His References to Scripture

Kenny Ang

• Publisher: EDUSC
• Year: 2024
• eBook ISBN:
  9791254822852
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

Anchored in the field of Biblical Thomism, this study explores the major topics of Aquinas's creation theology in the light of his references to Scripture. In recent years, there has been a widespread recognition of Aquinas as a biblical exegete, challenging the one-dimensional portrayal of him as merely a philosopher. Utilizing both the Index Thomisticus and Tabula Aurea, this study identifies passages from Aquinas's works, both exegetical and non-exegetical, that elaborate on scriptural verses related to creation theology. Through an analysis of these passages, this study reveals that his Scripture-inspired theology of creation is theocentric and Christocentric, marked by optimism and rich metaphorical imagery. Aquinas derived distinct themes from each Testament while also expounding on subjects that appear throughout both the Old and New Testaments. Out of the 308 verses examined in this study, Aquinas places greater emphasis on Wisdom 11:21, Psalm 8:4, and Genesis 1:1. Overall, this study indicates that Aquinas's exegetical works provide significant value to scholars of theology.

Table of contents

• Abstract
• Abbreviations
• Citations
• Acknowledgments
• Contents
• Chapter 1. Introduction
• 1.1. Research Description
• 1.1.1. Research Questions
• 1.1.2. Research Scope
• 1.1.3. Research Methodology
• 1.1.4. Research Relevance
• 1.2. The Thomistic Corpus
• 1.2.1. Chronology of Aquinas’s Works
• 1.2.2. Aquinas’s Commentaries on Scripture
• 1.3. Literature Review
• 1.3.1. Literature on Creation in Aquinas
• 1.3.2. Literature on Scripture in Aquinas
• 1.3.3. Conclusion of Literature Review
• 1.4. Aquinas and Scripture
• 1.4.1. Aquinas’s Approach to Scripture
• 1.4.2. Functions of Scripture in Aquinas
• 1.5. Thesis Structure
• Part I. Old Testament
• Chapter 2. Creation in Genesis 1–2
• 2.1. Introduction: Aquinas and Genesis
• 2.2. The Work of Creation
• 2.2.1. The Creation and Beginning of the Universe
• 2.2.2. God the Creator
• 2.3. The Work of Formation
• 2.3.1. The God-Creatures Similarity
• 2.3.2. The Goodness of Creatures
• 2.4. The Completion of God’s Work
• 2.4.1. The Seventh Day
• 2.4.2. The Consummation of Works
• 2.4.3. The Worker’s Rest
• 2.4.4. Blessing and Sanctification
• 2.5. Conclusions
• 2.5.1. Summary
• 2.5.2. Evaluation
• Chapter 3. Creation in the Prophetic Books
• 3.1. Introduction: Aquinas and the Prophetic Books
• 3.2. God the Creator
• 3.2.1. The Sole Creator
• 3.2.2. God’s Power and Wisdom
• 3.2.3. God’s Providence and Governance
• 3.2.4. God’s Omnipresence
• 3.2.5. God’s Excellence
• 3.2.6. God’s Knowledge and Creatures’ Nature
• 3.2.7. The Goodness of God and of Creatures
• 3.2.8. Creation as the Work of the Trinity
• 3.3. The Unity of God’s Plan
• 3.3.1. Creation and Revelation
• 3.3.2. Creation and Salvation
• 3.4. Conclusions
• 3.4.1. Summary
• 3.4.2. Evaluation
• Chapter 4. Creation in the Wisdom Books
• 4.1. Introduction: Aquinas and the Wisdom Books
• 4.2. Creation Theology
• 4.2.1. The Structure of Creation Theology
• 4.2.2. Two Considerations of Creatures
• 4.3. God the Creator
• 4.3.1. The Sole Creator
• 4.3.2. God’s Power
• 4.3.3. God’s Wisdom
• 4.3.4. God’s Will, Love, and Goodness
• 4.3.5. God’s Providence and Governance
• 4.4. Creation as the Work of the Trinity
• 4.4.1. The Divine Persons in Creation
• 4.4.2. Creation Through and In the Son
• 4.4.3. Creation Through and According to the Word
• 4.4.4. Creation Through the Holy Spirit
• 4.4.5. Ad Intra and Ad Extra Processions
• 4.4.6. Trinitarian Vestiges in Creatures
• 4.5. The Beginning of Creatures
• 4.5.1. The Simultaneity of Creation
• 4.5.2. Creatures’ Temporal Beginning
• 4.6. The Natural Knowledge of God
• 4.6.1. Possibility of Natural Knowledge of God
• 4.6.2. Imperfections of Natural Knowledge of God
• 4.6.3. Participation and Analogy
• 4.7. The Goodness of Creatures
• 4.7.1. The Cause of Creatures’ Goodnes
• 4.7.2. God and Good Things
• 4.7.3. The Fallen Angels
• 4.7.4. Out of Will Comes Evil
• 4.8. Conclusions
• 4.8.1. Summary
• 4.8.2. Evaluation
• Part II. New Testament
• Chapter 5. Creation in the Gospels
• 5.1. Introduction: Aquinas and the Gospels
• 5.2. God the Creator
• 5.2.1. The Sole Creator
• 5.2.2. God’s Providence
• 5.2.3. God’s Governance
• 5.3. Creation as the Work of the Trinity
• 5.3.1. Creation and the Son
• 5.3.2. Creation and the Word
• 5.3.3. Creation and Christ
• 5.4. The Natural Knowledge of God
• 5.4.1. Possibility of Natural Knowledge of God
• 5.4.2. Imperfections of Natural Knowledge of God
• 5.4.3. Participation and Analogy
• 5.5. The Goodness of Creatures
• 5.5.1. The Cause of Creatures’ Goodness
• 5.5.2. Against the Manichaean Dualism
• 5.5.3. The Goodness of the Devil
• 5.5.4. The Goodness of Food
• 5.5.5. The Goodness of the Flesh
• 5.5.6. The Goodness of Matrimony
• 5.5.7. The Goodness of the World
• 5.6. From the Beginning to the End
• 5.6.1. Creatures’ Temporal Beginning
• 5.6.2. Conservation of Creatures
• 5.6.3. The New Creation
• 5.7. Conclusions
• 5.7.1. Summary
• 5.7.2. Evaluation
• Chapter 6. Creation in the Pauline Letters
• 6.1. Introduction: Aquinas and the Pauline Letters
• 6.2. God the Creator
• 6.2.1. The Sole Creator
• 6.2.2. God’s Knowledge
• 6.2.3. God’s Wisdom
• 6.2.4. God’s Will
• 6.2.5. God’s Governance
• 6.3. Creation as the Work of the Trinity
• 6.3.1. God’s Paternity
• 6.3.2. Created in Conformity with the Word
• 6.3.3. Creation and the Son
• 6.3.4. Creation Through Christ
• 6.4. The Natural Knowledge of God
• 6.4.1. Possibility of Natural Knowledge of God
• 6.4.2. Natural Knowledge of God as Wisdom and Word
• 6.4.3. Imperfections of Natural Knowledge of God
• 6.5. The Goodness of Creatures
• 6.5.1. The Cause of Creatures’ Goodness
• 6.5.2. Key Passage: 1 Timothy 4:1–5
• 6.5.3. The Fallen Angels
• 6.5.4. The Diversity of Creatures
• 6.6. From the Beginning to the End
• 6.6.1. Creatures’ Temporal Beginning
• 6.6.2. Conservation of Creatures
• 6.6.3. Expectation of the New Creation
• 6.7. Conclusions
• 6.7.1. Summary
• 6.7.2. Evaluation
• Part III. Conclusions
• Chapter 7. Conclusions
• 7.1. Main Features
• 7.1.1. Theocentric
• 7.1.2. Christocentric
• 7.1.3. Optimistic
• 7.1.4. Metaphorical
• 7.2. Creation across the Testaments
• 7.3. Multifunctional Verses
• 7.4. Limitations and Future Research
• Part IV. Appendix
• Bibliography
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Footnotes