Thomas Aquinas

January 28, 1225 – March 7, 1274

Theologian & Philosopher

All I have written seems like straw compared to what has been revealed

Biography

Italian Dominican friar and the most influential medieval theologian. His Summa Theologica remains one of the greatest works of systematic theology ever written, synthesizing Aristotelian philosophy with Christian doctrine.

Faith & Testimony

Aquinas devoted his entire life to understanding and articulating the Christian faith through reason and revelation. Near the end of his life, after a mystical experience during Mass, he stopped writing, saying: 'All that I have written seems like straw compared to what has been revealed to me.'

Sources

Aquinas — Wikipedia — Greatest medieval theologian
Summa Theologica — New Advent — Aquinas's masterwork of systematic theology, one of the most influential works in Western philosophy and theology
Summa Contra Gentiles — Dominican House of Studies — Aquinas's apologetic work presenting reasoned arguments for the Christian faith