Into Theology 65: Thomas Aquinas on Whether God Exists (ST I.Q2)

Into Theology

In this episode, Drs. Ian Clary and Wyatt Graham discussion Thomas's second question in the Summa. In Thomas's age, asking whether something exists was the first part of someone's study. Thomas obviously believes God does exist. In an almost comical line, Thomas answers the question "Whether God Exists" by saying "yes" because God says he does in Exodus 3:14, "I am who I am!" If God says it, then he must exist. Now, the Bible also says some people mentally believe God does not exist (Ps 53:1). So, while God does exist and it is self-evident, we can reason from God's created effects back to the existence of God, which Thomas believes we should and can do because Paul tells us to do so in Romans 1:20. Drs. Clary and Graham also discuss the first of the five ways of God's existence. They push back against the notion that God is somehow immobile since he is the first mover. That, they show, is not what Thomas has in mind.