Aquinas’ Five Proofs

The Mystery of CreationChristian Ed 10

"The unseen things of God are visible through His manifest works."

Rom. I: 20

Before we walk the path to enlightenment noble students, please reflect on the following passage from Paul to the Romans:

Aquinas was inspired by this passage to examine God’s works and prove to the skeptics that there is a God.

 St. Thomas Aquinas argued that there are 5 ways

to prove the existence of God…

The First Proof: The Prime Mover

Consider a bouncing ball. How did the ball start bouncing? Did it fall and if so what caused it to fall? What started all the action?

According to Aquinas, “it is necessary to go back to some first mover, which is itself moved by nothing---and this all men know as God.”

The Second Proof: The First Cause Consider yourself and your family

history. You came to be because of your parents and your parents came to be because of their parents and so on. But where does it begin?

Aquinas explains, “if the chain were to go back infinitely, there would be no first cause, and thus no ultimate effect, nor middle causes, which is admittedly false. Hence we must presuppose some first

efficient cause---which all call God.”

The Third Proof: Possibility and Necessity

Consider things that exist beyond the realm of human control. How did trees, animals, mountains, stars, and the sun come to exist? What caused these things to exist? If it was a mere accident what existed before the universe? If nothing, then nothing can come from nothing.

Thus, Aquinas argues, “there must be presupposed something necessarily existing through its own nature, not having a cause elsewhere but being itself the cause of the necessary existence of other things---which all call God.”

The Fourth Proof: The degrees found in things

Consider the notion that there are varying degrees of love, goodness, and perfection. Consider the concept of heat. There are certainly varying degrees of heat.

Aquinas points out, “fire, which is the greatest heat, is the cause of all heat.” The cause of the greatest love, goodness, and perfection is who we call God.

The Fifth Proof: The Cosmos Examine the natural world

around you. Although it appears to be chaotic at times, nature is very structured. Weather systems, oceans, the solar system, time, it all has structure. Who is responsible for this structure? Who could have designed such a plan?

Aquinas saw this ordered structure and argued, “there is something intelligent by which all natural things are arranged in accordance with a plan---and this we call God.”

Design of Our Solar SystemDesign of Our Solar System

The Earth is protected from comets by the large outer planets

The Earth is protected from comets by the large outer planets

Established a unique continental crust, which allows for recycling of minerals through tectonic activity.

"Things are in motion, hence there is a first mover.

Things are caused, hence there is a first cause.

Things exist, hence there is a creator.

Perfect goodness exists, hence it has a sourcer.

Things are designed, hence they serve a purpose."

-- Thomas Aquinas

Another Perspective FOR GodAnother Perspective FOR God

Father Robert Barron

“Why do we believe in God?”

What 3 points does Fr. Barron make?

Sometimes you just gotta have…. Sometimes you just gotta have…. F-A-I-T-H !F-A-I-T-H !

Both Aquinas and Fr. Barron provide a rational proof for the existence of God. However, it is not enough to simply think you know that God exists. You must believe. If you pray to God and contemplate on His numerous gifts and works then He will reveal Himself to you.

But it takes time and it is difficult. One of the ways God reveals Himself to you is through your life because you are part of God’s creative plan.