A Complete Human Nature: Understanding Thomas Aquinas Anonymous College

Thomas Aquinas, one of the most influential theologians of his time, deals with many hotly contested topics regarding the nature of God and God's dealings with mankind in Summa Theologica. In the fifth question of Part IIIa, Aquinas discusses Christ’s assumption of a human nature. Although most Christians believe that Jesus became a man in a general sense, the concepts of assumption and of human nature are often poorly understood. The simple phrase “Christ’s assumption of human nature,” then, warrants a thorough explanation. Because of this, Aquinas systematically responds to and rejects many of the objections of his contemporaries. Through his adherence to logical thought and precision of language, Aquinas disproves the claim that Christ did not assume a human mind, asserting instead that the assumption of a human mind was necessary for salvation to occur.

Aquinas believes that definitions are integral to the understanding of theological principles, and the structure of his arguments reflect this belief. He devotes much of his writing to defining terms so that his audience has an accurate understanding of important concepts. Christ’s assumption is no exception. Throughout his discussion, Aquinas reveals the definition of...