“You spread out the heavens like a tent; you raised your palace upon the waters. You make the clouds your chariot; you travel on the wings of the wind….You fixed the earth on its foundation, …” -Psalm 104:2-5
Congratulations! You made it to Aquinas’ fifth and final proof or demonstration that there must be a God. This one may be the most intuitive of them all.
Aquinas argues that the complexity of the universe would not be possible unless there were some intelligent designer. (Please do not confuse this with the modern rejection of the possibility of biological evolution that is often referred to as “Intelligent design”)
Think of it this way. If you were walking down along a remote beach and you found a watch, would you assume that it was the product of random forces of nature, or would you immediately know that some intelligent being made it? The complexity of the watch and the fact that it acts toward a specific purpose or end argues for a watchmaker.
We, and the universe for that matter, are so much more complex that a watch! Think about the complex things your body is doing right this very second. Your digestive tract is working on breakfast, you are filtering waste from the blood, you are respirating and oxygenating all of your cells, not to mention what your eyes and brain are doing. Wow! You are pretty cool and complex.
This proof does not mean to imply that God has made the universe and now is just letting it run like the watchmaker does. That is called “deism” and we reject that idea. Imagine a watchmaker who so loved his creation that he was willing to become a part of that watch! This is our God.
 | 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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