The Impact of the Aquinas, Quran, and Benedict on Human Culture

Whether or not one believes in an all-powerful, omniscient, and benevolent divine being significantly influences how one understands the world and one’s place in it. Consider the accounts of God in Aquinas, the Qur’an, and Benedict. What evidence is given for God’s existence, and how does each work view God? How does this influence the understanding of what it means to live a good life, and how one actually achieves that goal?

Once humankind became stable enough to be less concerned with survival, we began pondering questions that could not be definitely answered in our lifetime. Nevertheless, our proposed answers shape how we believe we should and how we choose to live our lives. One of the perennial questions mankind has asked concerns not only the existence of God, but also what knowledge humans can attain about Him. The answer to the question of how we imagine this divine being will treat us in the afterlife influences how we determine to live our lives in this world. Although many thinkers have proposed their own explanations for the God question, three distinguished texts that respond to this inquiry are St. Thomas Aquinas on Politics and Ethics, the Qur’an, and The Rule of Saint Benedict. Although all three texts address the existence and presence of God, as well as how followers should live their lives, the answers these works propose fall on a continuum. While Aquinas emphasizes the human inability to completely understand God, he still demands a leap of faith from his believers. The Qur’an not only gives proofs for God’s existence, but also defines Him as merciful, and gives clear instructions for the believers’ behavior. Finally, Benedict focuses on obedience and submission to Christ, rather than proving his existence.

Although Saint Thomas Aquinas’ answer to humankind’s capacity to know God is influenced by philosophic thinkers, he ultimately resolves that belief in God requires a leap of faith. He explains that reason alone cannot account for God’s existence in its entirety: there are truths of God human beings can logically understand as well as truths beyond human intellect. He expounds on this idea by writing, “there are some things that can be known about God that are available to human reason, but there are others that totally exceed its power” (St. Thomas Aquinas on Politics and Ethics, 4). There are aspects of God that wisdom can understand, but there are also aspects beyond comprehension, requiring faith. To explain why human logic is limited in this way, Aquinas prefaces his evidences of God’s existence by stating that “The human intellect can not achieve the understanding of God’s substance by means of its natural capacity because in this life all knowledge that is in our intellects originates in the senses” (St. Thomas Aquinas on Politics and Ethics, 3). Aquinas is asserting that understanding God’s existence is beyond our physical and mental capacities; therefore, truly knowing God through reason is not possible. Aquinas believes that belief overrides reason as well, and that “It is also wrong to think that something that is held by faith could be false since it is clearly confirmed by God” (St. Thomas Aquinas on Politics and Ethics, 4). By arguing that humans are insufficient in their ability to comprehend God, Aquinas relies on faith to compensate between discrepancies in religion and reason. Because Aquinas establishes that the human mind cannot fully realize God, he relies on faith to supplement his evidences for God’s existence.

Although Aquinas explains a reason why mankind cannot understand God is the limit of reason, he also cites three other causes that impede the pursuit of truth: intellectual disability, demands of family, and laziness. Although the factors of reason, intellectual disability, family demands, and laziness can hinder one’s understanding of God, they should not be allowed to influence one’s faith. No matter how much one can come to know about God should not affect one’s belief in God. Aquinas then explains the purpose of faith by asserting that “Final perfect happiness (beatitudo) can only come from the vision of the divine essence” (St. Thomas Aquinas on Politics and Ethics, 42). Aquinas clarifies that mankind can never be truly happy in this world “as long as something more remains to be desired or sought”, meaning that belief in God is necessary to attain some happiness in this life and true happiness in the next (St. Thomas Aquinas on Politics and Ethics, 42). According to him, one must ultimately accept God through faith, no matter the obstacle, because our reason cannot comprehend His divine being. The reason one must accept God and follow His rules is to achieve some happiness through Him in this life, and perfect, full happiness in the next.

The Qur’an, the holy text of Muslims and followers of Islam, also addresses the question of the existence and nature of God, and how this knowledge influences how humans should live their lives now. The Qur’an addresses God’s existence throughout the text. In referencing God’s singular existence, God states in the Qur’an, “We have made Our signs clear enough to those who have solid faith” (Qur’an, 2:118). Just as Aquinas states that belief is necessary because the intellect cannot comprehend all of the divine being, the Qur’an necessitates belief as well, although the text offers a few more examples of God’s presence. For example, in surah 2, the Qur’an asks, “How can you ignore God when you were lifeless and He gave you life, when He will cause you to die, then resurrect you to be returned to Him? It was He who created all that is on the earth for you, then turned to the sky and made the seven heavens: it is He who has knowledge of all things” (Qur’an, 2:29-30). The Qur’an uses life and the existence of the earth and sky as proof of the reality of God. The Qur’an continues this logical argument of God’s existence by stating evidences of God’s existence “In the creation of the heavens and earth; in the alternation of night and day; in the ships that sail the seas with goods for people; in the water which God sends down from the sky to give life to the earth when it has been barren, scattering all kinds of creatures over it; in the changing of the winds and clouds that run their appointed courses between the sky and earth: there are signs in all these for those who use their minds” (Qur’an, 2:163). The Qur’an uses examples of everyday life as proof for God’s reality. Although the text provides an almost logical set of proofs for the presence of God, faith is still necessitated.

Along with evidences of God’s existence in the Qur’an, the text describes His nature towards human beings. The Qur’an states, “Your God is the one God: there is no god except Him, the Lord of Mercy, the giver of Mercy” (Qur’an, 2:29). Every surah in the Qur’an, except for one, begins with a similar invocation, describing God as merciful and forgiving. According to the Qur’an, not only does God exist, He is merciful and forgiving to the believers. Nonetheless, belief without action is insufficient. The Qur’an recommends that “The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travellers and beggars, and to liberate those in bondage; those who keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges wherever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity, and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God” (Qur’an, 2:177). Although Aquinas emphasizes faith, Islam takes a more balanced approach. Faith is vital; it is the first pillar of the religion. However, faith must have action that demonstrates one’s belief. The Qur’an proves God’s existence, describes Him as merciful, and directs how one should live their life: by praying daily, giving charity, and persevering through trials.

The Rule of Saint Benedict is another religious text that directs the life of believers. Because Saint Benedict is writing for those who have already accepted the Christian faith, by beginning with “Listen carefully, my son,” he focuses less on proving God’s existence and describing His nature (The Rule of Saint Benedict, 3). Instead, he dictates a strict monastic life for those who believe. He begins his work by stating “The labor of obedience will bring you back to him from whom you had drifted through the sloth of disobedience” (The Rule of Saint Benedict, 3). Benedict’s language clearly indicates that a life dedicated to God is one of obedience. Although the Qur’an also insists on a life devoted to God, Benedict takes this commitment further. He continues to preface his specific guidelines by indicating that “This message of mine is for you, then, if you are ready to give up your own will, once and for all, and armed with the strong and noble weapons of obedience to do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord” (The Rule of Saint Benedict, 3). In order to truly dedicate oneself to Christ, Benedict claims that one must give up his or her will to the obedience of God. Benedict explicates this obedience to God by directing followers to “obey Him at all times that he may never become the angry father who disinherits his sons, nor the dread lord, enraged by our sins, who punishes us forever as worthless servants for refusing to follow him to glory” (The Rule of Saint Benedict, 3). This statement clearly expresses how Benedict views God. Although he clearly believes in His presence, because God is thought to become angry and punitive towards his disobedient followers, a life of dedicated obedience to the Lord is prescribed to the believers in order to avoid God’s wrath.

Although the three texts, St. Thomas Aquinas on Politics and Ethics, the Qur’an, and The Rule of Saint Benedict all seek to answer the unchanging question man asks on the purpose of life, their responses are different dimensions of one another. Aquinas views God as unfathomable, but faith as a necessity to eventually achieve true happiness. The Qur’an provides examples of God’s existence, and views Him as a merciful and forgiving being, although certain actions and rituals guide the believer’s life. Benedict, on the other hand, views God as angry and punitive when disobeyed, and so prescribes a rigorous monastic life for followers of Christ. Although one’s view, or lack thereof, of God and the afterlife dictates how his or her life is expressed, we must decide what God means to us and what living a good life looks like for us, although we can be influenced by and expound upon these texts.