“Created in God’s image and called to know and love him, the person who seeks God discovers certain ways of coming to know him. These are also called proofs for the existence of God…” CCC #31
We are looking at St. Thomas Aquinas’ proofs (or demonstrations might be a better label) for the existence of God. Friday, we saw his first proof from motion. The demonstration that we will look at today shares some of the same logic but is based on what “efficient cause.”
Aquinas notes that things exist (profound, right?). He further notices that everything that does exist is caused by something else (he actually notices that most things have many “secondary causes” for their existence, but one cause is the central or “efficient cause”). He then observes that as he looks back for the ultimate cause of existence he cannot go back forever (can’t regress infinitely). Eventually, we must posit a being who caused itself to be (an uncaused cause). This being we call God.
Looks a lot like yesterday’s and I think both can be boiled down into modern language something like this. “Well, ok so where did all that stuff that banged in the big bang come from?” The point is that scientific explanation is great and valuable but will always have a hole at “the beginning.” Science studies matter, and it cannot, but definition, define how matter was created out of nothing by a spiritual being. Eventually science hits a wall.
 | About Pat Arensberg Patrick Arensberg is the Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Mobile. Previously, he taught for 17 years at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, where he served as Chairman of the Theology Department. He attended the Gregorian University in Rome and holds an M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is married to Connie and they live in Mobile with their 5 children. |
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