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Thomas studied and earned his master's degree at the University of [[Paris]], the year 1245.
Thomas studied and earned his master's degree at the University of [[Paris]], the year 1245.
== Liberalism ==
Some conservatives have argued that Thomas Aquinas was an important influence on the development of liberalism for his optimistim in human reason. The conservative Senator John P. East, a former professor of political philosophy, wrote:
''To put the matter bluntly, modern liberal Catholicism, and its non-Catholic associates, have preferred Aquinas over Augustine. Leo XIII set the tone in Aeterni Patris. He acknowledged the greatness of Augustine, but indicated that this early Saint is a stepping stone on the way to the summit, which is Aquinas. As Aquinas showed that faith and reason are compatible, the Pope contended his philosophy would serve as a bridgebuilder to the secular rationalist. Aquinas’ reliance upon “reason” has great appeal to modern liberals; however, the matter broadens beyond that, for Aquinas leads to Aristotle, while Augustine points to Plato, and within liberal thinking the former two are preferred.<ref>John P. East, “The Political Relevance of St. Augustine,” Modern Age 16 (Spring, 1972), 168.</ref>
''
[[Richard M. Weaver]] in ''Ideas Have Consequences,'' argued that Thomas Aquinas' imposition of Aristotle on the Roman Catholic Church caused the church to turn away from rigorous morality and to accept pragmatic acquiescence to the world.<ref>Richard M. Weaver, Ideas Have Consequences (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1948), 119.</ref>
The Christian apologist and philosopher [[Francis Schaeffer]] offered a similar indictment on Thomas Aquinas in ''Escape from Reason''. Schaeffer argued that Aquinas "separated nature from grace," or, he allowed for the study of the earthly realm to be entirely removed from the study of Christianity. In doing so, he "laid the groundwork for the Humanistic Renaissance" and the "autonomous individual." Schaeffer reprimanded Aquinas for his belief in the intrinsic goodness of man—a radically unconservative persuasion. Aquinas believed that, though the will was affected by the fall, the intellect was not. Thus, reasoning and philosophy became free to be pursued without subjugation to the limitations of the Scriptures and divine revelation. Schaeffer viewed Aquinas as one of the founding fathers of liberal modernity, accrediting to him some responsibility for the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. In Schaeffer's words, "...Aquinas had opened the way to an autonomous Humanism, an autonomous philosophy, and once the movement gained momentum, there was soon a flood."<ref>Francis Schaeffer, Escape from Reason (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1968), 9-18. </ref>
== In literature ==
== In literature ==