The Middle Ages: Charlemagne's Biography and Thomas Aquinas' Reasons for God's Existence.
This blog post will look at two significant sources from the Middle Ages that offer insight into the politics and religion of that time period. The first source is a biography about the life of Charlemagne, who was a prominent king and emperor of the Middle Ages and remembered as the Father of Europe. The second source is a work by Thomas Aquinas, an influential philosopher and theologian who wrote a doctrine of the Catholic Faith, giving reasons for the proof of God's existence.
"Life of Charlemagne" This source is a biography written by Einhard, a Frankish scholar who was a dedicated servant and friend to Charlemagne. Charlemagne was the King of France and the Lombards, and he was also crowned Emperor of Rome by Pope Leo III in 800 A.D. "He is among the best-known and most influential figures of the Early Middle Ages for his military successes which united most of Western Europe, (and) his educational and ecclesiastical reforms" ( World History).
Einhard's biography provides fascinating insights into Charlemagne's daily life. The text begins with a detailed description of Charlemagne's appearance and his preference for traditional Frankish tunics and swords. Einhard wrote that besides feast days or when Charlemagne visited Rome, "His dress varied little from the common dress of the people.” (Einhard). The author also described Charlemagne's eating habits, emphasizing his hatred for drunkenness and his love for reading or music during his meals. His busy schedule is also explained, with mentions of him handling cases from the Count of the Palace even while getting dressed. Most importantly, this biography tells us of Charlemagne's commitment to education. Einhard states “Charles had the gift of ready and fluent speech, and could express whatever he had to say with the utmost clearness.” He mastered Latin, understood Greek. and was a dedicated student of liberal arts, studying under scholars and tutors. He also had all of his children trained in the liberal arts and even took all of his meals with them at home to ensure they were being taught properly. The final section of this biography explains Charlemagne's relationship with the Church of St. Peter in Rome. He was a faithful protector of the Church and provided large funds to support it.
I found the "Life of Charlemagne" engaging because it was written in a personal manner and paints a picture of a humble, intelligent, and hardworking individual who valued education, the Church, and the well-being of his children. Charlemagne was a great man, who was far busier than we will ever be, yet he took time for his education and health, and to teach his children. Charlemagne's life serves as an inspiring example of a great man who, despite tremendous responsibility and commitment, dedicated time to his own education, well-being, and children.
Thomas Aquinas: "Reasons in Proof of the Existence of God" This work was written in 1270 A.D. as part of Thomas' Summa Theologia for the Roman Catholic Church. During this time, it seemed that people were objecting that the existence of God could not be proved because faith is not demonstrable. Thomas responded to those objections by presenting five ways to demonstrate God's existence.
1."Things on earth undergo change." (Aquinas). Since everything must be moved by something else, there must be a God who was able to set the earth into motion by moving Himself from nothing.
2. There is a chain of causes found in nature. Aquinas quotes "Nor is it found possible for anything to be the efficient cause of itself, since it would have to exist before itself, which is impossible.” There needs to be a God who was the first of causes and existed before all others.
3.“If, then, all things were merely possible (mere accidents), eventually nothing among things would exist” (Aquinas). Nothing can exist forever externally except for God, and if nothing ever existed it would be impossible for life to begin unless there is a God.
4. All throughout nature there is "found a greater and a less degree of goodness, truth, nobility, and the like." (Aquinas). "There exists therefore something that is the truest, and best, and most noble, and in consequence, the greatest being." No one can ever be found the greatest and truest besides God because He is the one that spoke into existence that which is true and good.
5. Our bodies were created to operate according to a plan. Our bodies “follow what is the Highest” and they don't “arrive at the result by chance but because of a purpose." (Aquinas). God is intelligent and creation is arranged to follow His plan and design.
I found Thomas Aquinas' work interesting because it gives a structured and thoughtful exploration of God as an intelligent Creator who existed before time even began. His doctrine clearly reasons towards the existence of God, and I can see how this doctrine would have been an important work in the Roman Catholic Church during the Middle Ages.
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