Lesson 18 - Proving God's Existence From the World's Order

St. Thomas Aquinas is famous for his Five Ways to prove the existence of God, but besides the Five Ways, he offered many other arguments for the existence of God.

Let’s now take a look at another version of the argument from world order.

Course Reading

Summa Contra Gentiles I, c. 13 | St. Thomas Aquinas

Summa Theologiae I, q. 2, a. 3 | St. Thomas Aquinas

Excerpt from the Summa Contra Gentiles I, c. 13:

Damascene proposes another argument for the same conclusion taken from the government of the world [ De fide orthodoxa I, 3]. Averroes likewise hints at it [In II Physicorum ]. The argument runs thus. Contrary and discordant things cannot, always or for the most part, be parts of one order except under someone’s government, which enables all and each to tend to a definite end. But in the world we find that things of diverse natures come together under one order, and this not rarely or by chance, but always or for the most part. There must therefore be some being by whose providence the world is governed. This we call God.

Course Listening

Does God Exist? An Argument for God's Existence from Thomas Aquinas | Fr. James Brent, O.P.

Why Should We Believe God Exists? | Prof. Gregory Doolan