THE ANGELIC DOCTOR RESPONDS by Gary L. Morella
t the March 23 School Board meeting I heard something that, as a Roman
Catholic, I found to be so totally preposterous that I could not believe
someone calling himself "Catholic" capable of making such a statement.
The Board and the Community were told by a "c"atholic that the "sin of Sodom
was inhospitality" and that Saint Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica
challenged natural law arguments, and said that "homosexuality is natural, not
unnatural and that homosexuality among animals is natural, not unnatural."
I would simply ask this individual to give us the exact references in the Summa
Theologica where Thomas Aquinas made those statements.
It should not be required to formally refute such outrageous, scandalous
statements but because of the confusion spawned by dissident theologians who
would create their own heretical "magisteria" co-equal with that of Holy
Mother Church, a response is in order.
I will let Saint Thomas Aquinas respond directly through his own words in the
Christian Classics 1948 Benzinger edition translation of the Summa Theologica,
the clarity of which is unmistakable. First the Natural Law will be addressed,
then homosexuality.
The Natural Law.
"Since, however, good has the nature of an end, and evil, the nature of a
contrary, hence it is that all those things to which man has a natural
inclination, are naturally apprehended by reason as being good, and
consequently as objects of pursuit, and their contraries as evil, and objects
of avoidance.
"Because in man there is first of all an inclination to good in accordance with
the nature which he has in common with all substances; inasmuch as every
substance seeks the preservation of its own being, according to its nature: and
by reason of this inclination, whatever is a means of preserving human life,
and of warding off its obstacles, BELONGS to the Natural Law. Secondly, there
is in man an inclination to things that pertain to him more specially,
according to that nature which he has in common with other animals: and in
virtue of this inclination, those things are said to belong to the Natural Law,
WHICH NATURE HAS TAUGHT TO ALL ANIMALS, such as sexual intercourse, education
of offspring and so forth.
"Thus man has a natural inclination to know the truth about God, and to live in
society: and in this respect, whatever pertains to this inclination belongs to
the Natural Law." [Summa Theologica, Vol II, Pt. I-II, Q.94 Art. 2]
"For it has been stated that to the Natural Law belongs everything to which a
man is inclined according to his nature.
"Wherefore, since the rational soul is the proper form of man, there is in
every man a natural inclination to act according to reason: and this is to act
according to virtue.
"Temperance is about the natural concupiscences of food, drink, and sexual
matters, which are indeed ordained to the natural common good, just as other
matters of law are ordained to the moral common good.
"By human nature we may mean either that which is proper to man - and in this
sense all sins, as being against reason, are also against nature, as Damascene
states (De Fide Orthod. ii. 30): or we may mean that nature which is common to
man and other animals; and in this sense, certain special sins are said to be
AGAINST nature; thus contrary to sexual intercourse, which is natural to all
animals, is unisexual lust, which has received the special name of the
UNNATURAL CRIME." [Summa Theologica, Vol II, Pt. I-II, Q.94 Art. 3]
"Consequently we must say that the Natural Law, as to general principles, is
the same for all, both as to rectitude and as to knowledge.
"As, in man, reason rules and commands the other powers, so all the natural
inclinations belonging to the other powers must needs be directed according to
reason." [Summa Theologica, Vol II, Pt. I-II, Q.94 Art. 4]
"The Natural Law dates from the creation of the rational creature. It does NOT
vary according to time, but remains unchangeable.
"The Natural Law was perverted in the hearts of some men, as to certain
matters, so that they esteemed those things good which are naturally evil."
[Summa Theologica, Vol II, Pt. I-II, Q.94 Art. 5]
"THY LAW IS WRITTEN ON THE HEARTS OF MEN, WHICH INIQUITY ITSELF EFFACES NOT.
But the law which is written in men's hearts is the Natural Law. Therefore the
Natural Law CANNOT be blotted out.
"There belong to the Natural Law, first, certain most general precepts, that
are known to all; and secondly, certain secondary and more detailed precepts,
which are, as it were, conclusions following closely from first principles. As
to those general principles, the Natural Law, in the abstract, can NOwise be
blotted out from men's hearts." [Summa Theologica, Vol II, Pt. I-II, Q.94
Art. 6]
Homosexuality.
"The unnatural vice IS a species of lust. It is reckoned together with other
species of lust (2 Cor. xii. 21) where we read: 'And have not done penance for
the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness," where a gloss says:
'Lasciviousness, i.e., unnatural lust.'
"The venereal act is rendered unbecoming through being contrary to right
reason, and because, in addition, it is contrary to the natural order of the
venereal act as becoming to the human race: and this is called THE UNNATURAL
VICE. This may happen by copulation with an undue sex, male with male, or
female with female, as the Apostle states (Rom. i. 27): and this is called the
VICE OF SODOMY." [Summa Theologica, Vol IV, Pt. II-II, Q.154 Art. 11]
"Augustine says (De adult. conjug.) that 'of all these', namely the sins
belonging to lust, 'THAT WHICH IS AGAINST NATURE IS THE WORST.'
"I answer that, in every genus, worst of all is the corruption of the principle
on which the rest depend. Now the principles of reason are those things that
are according to nature, because reason presupposes things as determined by
nature, before disposing of other things according as it is fitting. This may
be observed both in speculative and in practical matters. Wherefor just as in
speculative matters the most grievous and shameful error is that which is about
things the knowledge of which is naturally bestowed on man, so in matters of
action it is most grave and shameful to act against things as determined by
nature. Therefore, since by the UNNATURAL VICES man TRANSGRESSES that which
has been determined by nature with regard to the use of venereal actions, it
follows that in this matter THIS SIN IS GRAVEST OF ALL. After it comes incest,
which is contrary to the natural respect which we owe persons related to us.
"Just as the ordering of right reason proceeds from man, so the order of nature
is from God Himself: wherefore in sins contrary to nature, whereby the very
order of nature is violated, an INJURY IS DONE TO GOD, THE AUTHOR OF NATURE.
Hence, Augustine says (Conf. iii. 8): 'Those foul offenses that are against
nature should be everywhere and at all times DETESTED and PUNISHED, such as
were those of the people of Sodom, which should all nations commit, they should
all stand guilty of the same crime, by the law of God, which hath not so made
men that they should so abuse one another. For even that very intercourse
which should be between God and us is violated, when that same nature, of which
He is the author, is POLLUTED BY THE PERVERSITY OF LUST.'
"Vices against nature are also against God, and are so much more grievous than
the depravity of sacrilege, as the order impressed on human nature is prior to
and more firm than any subsequently established order.
"The nature of the species is more intimately united to each individual, than
any other individual is. Wherefore sins against the specific nature are more
grievous.
"Wherefore among sins against nature, the most grievous is the sin of
bestiality, because use of the due species is not observed. After this comes
the sin of Sodomy, because use of the right sex is not observed."
[Summa Theologica, Vol IV, Pt. II-II, Q.154 Art. 12]
Thus spoke Saint Thomas Aquinas.