I don’t think you necessarily have to learn about it as an Eastern Catholic. I know some Eastern Catholics that know more about Thomas Aquinas than any of us Latins
I’m not an Eastern Catholic myself, but I occasionally study Eastern Catholicism, and I know some Eastern Catholic priests. The ones I know seem very knowledgeable about scholasticism, from what I can tell. They often talk about things from an Eastern perspective, and then “switch gears” and say things like: “Now I’m going to talk like a Western for a little bit.” And then they’ll quote western documents as good as any Latin professor could do.
I imagine there is some resistance in the East to Aquinas but when people criticize scholasticism I think they are rejecting its excesses, not Aquinas per se. How many angels on the head of a pin, etc. There were those who really ran with Aquinas, down the wrong road. I think most in the East make this distinction and respect Aquinas while rejecting his lesser followers (with some overall reserve perhaps).
A Catholic is a Catholic, whether eastern or western. The saints are common and therefore there is no necessity to eschew your scholastic understanding of your faith. But that may be reason enough to stay where you are in the west. If you don’t identify with an eastern way of thinking it may be better to remain in the west. Atleast give the eastern way of thinking a chance. You don’t have to reject Thomas to be a Maronite or Byzantine, but you do have to embrace your community.
There is a poster on here that used to post a lot about eastern Christianity named ghosty who was transitioning to the Melkite church. He was an enthusiastic thomist. Many eastern Christians are very, firm on their adherence to only eastern Christians but it isn’t necessary. But as I already said, if you are a Latin catholic and you think as a thomist it may be a sign that you should remain Latin. You should only transition to another church if you identify with the way of thinking of that church. Attend the liturgy and talk to the pastor of a church. Practice it first for a while and then make a decision.
I can second this position. As a Maronite Catholic, we’d lean more towards studying the likes of the Desert Fathers, along with John Chrysostom, Ephraim of Nisibis, Isaac of Nineveh, Jacob of Sarugh, etc., along with our own liturgical texts. The likes of Aquinas and Bonaventure would not be discouraged, but are viewed as almost supplemental to our traditional roots.I am an eastern Catholic and there has always been a tendency of us in the Melkite fold (at least) to honor and study The Philokalia and the teachings of the Eastern Fathers more than the teachings of the “Western” saints. Aquinas and Augustine are not discouraged, though, but not given as much preference as the Eastern teachers.
It’s the same with the Western saints. St. Francis, for example. Honored, but not given the place of St. John Chrysostom or St. Mary of Egypt, for example.
Hope that sort of clarified that in a little way, at least.