Saint Thomas Aquinas as a Christian apologist

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Thesis Type: Doctorate

Institution Of The Thesis: Uludağ Üniversitesi, Turkey

Approval Date: 2005

Thesis Language: Turkish

Student: MUHAMMET TARAKCI

Supervisor: AHMET GÜÇ

Abstract:

Apology is a particular defence of the Christian faith with reference to a definite attack. This thesis deals with Saint Thomas Aquinas as a Christian apologist and tries to find answers the following questions: How did Saint Thomas one of the most influential thinkers and theologians of the Roman Catholic Church see his own religion? How did he reconcile Christianity with reason? How did he defend Christianity against other religions, especially against Islam? Answering those questions, this thesis enables to know Christianity through one of its greatest thinkers. In other words, this thesis gives a Christian an opportunity to speak himself and his religion. Considering himself a theologian or a scholar of sacred doctrine, Aquinas divided divine matters into two: Some can be explained with natural reason such as existence of God, divine names, oneness of God, creation, immortality of soul and God’s providence over the world. On the other hand, trinity, incarnation, sacraments and eschatological matters are among subject-matters that can not be understood or explained with natural reason. This thesis aims to explain both those two kinds of divine matters. This thesis also deals with the relation between Aquinas and Islam or Muslims. It questions whether Aquinas’ apologetic work, Summa Contra Gentiles, was really written against Muslim. In addition, it examines if Aquinas really knew Islam.