Thomas Aquinas

===Revelation===
Thomas believed that truth is known through reason, rationality ([[natural revelation]]) and faith ([[supernatural revelation]]). ''Supernatural'' revelation has its origin in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is made available through the teaching of the prophets, summed up in Holy Scripture, and transmitted by the [[Magisterium]], the sum of which is called "Tradition". ''Natural'' revelation is the truth available to all people through their human nature and powers of reason. For example, he felt this applied to rational ways to know the existence of God.

Though one may deduce the existence of God and his Attributes (Unity, Truth, Goodness, Power, Knowledge) through reason, certain specifics may be known only through the special revelation of God through [[Jesus Christ]]. The major theological components of Christianity, such as the [[Trinity]], the [[Incarnation]], and charity are revealed in the teachings of the church and the [[scripture]]s and may not otherwise be deduced.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hankey |first=Wayne |title=The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Religion |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-415-78295-1 |edition=Second |location=CSU East Bay |pages=134–135}}</ref> However, Thomas also makes a distinction between "demonstrations" of sacred doctrines and the "persuasiveness" of those doctrines.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |date= |title=Aquinas' Philosophical Theology &#124; Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy |url=https://iep.utm.edu/thomas-aquinas-political-theology/#SH3c |accessdate=7 August 2022 |publisher=Iep.utm.edu}}</ref> The former is akin to something like "certainty", whereas the latter is more probabilistic in nature.<ref name="autogenerated1" />

In other words, Thomas thought Christian doctrines were "fitting" to reason (i.e. reasonable), even though they can't be demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt.<ref name="autogenerated1" /> In fact, the ''Summa Theologica'' is filled with examples of Thomas arguing that we would expect certain Christian doctrines to be true, even though these expectations aren't demonstrative (i.e. 'fitting' or reasonable).<ref name="Iep.utm.edu">{{cite web |date= |title=Aquinas' Philosophical Theology &#124; Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy |url=https://iep.utm.edu/thomas-aquinas-political-theology/#H4 |accessdate=7 August 2022 |publisher=Iep.utm.edu}}</ref> For example, Thomas argues that we would expect God to become incarnate, and we would expect a resurrected Christ to ''not'' stay on Earth.<ref name="Iep.utm.edu" /><ref>{{cite web |date= |title=Summa Theologiae: The ascension of Christ (Tertia Pars, Q. 57) |url=https://www.newadvent.org/summa/4057.htm#article1 |accessdate=7 August 2022 |publisher=Newadvent.org}}</ref>

====Reconciling faith and reason====
According to Thomas, faith and reason complement rather than [[Fideism|contradict each other]], each giving different views of the same truth. A discrepancy between faith and reason arises from a shortcoming of either natural science or scriptural interpretation. Faith can reveal a divine mystery that eludes scientific observation. On the other hand, science can suggest where fallible humans misinterpret a scriptural metaphor as a literal statement of fact.<ref>{{cite news |last=Beattie |first=Tina |date=13 February 2012 |title=Thomas Aquinas, part 3: scripture, reason and the being of God |newspaper=The Guardian |publisher=www.theguardian.com |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2012/feb/13/scripture-reason-god-thomas-aquinas |accessdate=25 March 2023}}</ref>