Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • Saint Thomas the Apostle: One of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, traditionally known for initially doubting the resurrection of Jesus until he saw and touched the wounds of the risen Christ.
   • Saint Thomas Aquinas: An Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church, renowned for his synthesis of Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology and his arguments for the existence of God.

Examples of Usage

• Proper noun (Apostle):

  • The story of St. Thomas teaches a lesson about faith and doubt.
  • St. Thomas is often called "Doubting Thomas" because of his initial skepticism.

• Proper noun (Aquinas):

  • The philosophical works of St. Thomas are central to Catholic theology.
  • St. Thomas wrote the "Summa Theologica," a foundational text of scholasticism.

Advanced Usage

• "Doubting Thomas": An idiom referring to a person who is skeptical and refuses to believe something without direct proof.

  • He was a real Doubting Thomas and wouldn't accept the news until he saw the official report.

• Thomism: The philosophical and theological school of thought based on the works of St. Thomas Aquinas.

  • He specialized in the study of Thomism.

Variants and Related Words

• Thomas: The common form of the name without the saintly title.
• Thomistic (adj): Pertaining to the thought of Thomas Aquinas.
  • The lecture covered Thomistic principles.

Synonyms

• Thomas the Apostle
• Thomas Aquinas
• The Angelic Doctor (A traditional title for Thomas Aquinas)

Related Phrases

• "My Lord and my God!": The exclamation of St. Thomas the Apostle upon recognizing the risen Jesus (John 20:28).
  • Upon seeing the proof, he echoed the words of St. Thomas: "My Lord and my God!"

Noun

1. (Roman Catholic Church) Italian theologian and Doctor of the Church who is remembered for his attempt to reconcile faith and reason in a comprehensive theology; presented philosophical proofs of the existence of God (1225-1274)
2. the Apostle who would not believe the resurrection of Jesus until he saw Jesus with his own eyes