Thomism and creation

[Fatima-Crusader]

“It is a greater act to make something according to its entire substance, than to make something according to its substantial or accidental form.” (S.Th. I,45,3, sc)

Does this prove from an Thomnist postion evoultion is unnacpetable?

 

[Richca]

“It is a greater act to make something according to its entire substance, than to make something according to its substantial or accidental form.” (S.Th. I,45,3, sc)

Does this prove from an Thomnist postion evoultion is unnacpetable?

I don’t think it follows from this statement alone from Aquinas that evolution is unacceptable although it may if other positions of his are included (see https://aquinas.design/ ). The works of nature can produce substantial and accidental changes in things but presuppose matter which in Aquinas’ view can only be produced by creation. Creation which is the work of God alone presupposes nothing but produces things in their entire substance, namely, form and matter together as to material substances. According to Aquinas, formless matter is the substrate or material out of which God created and formed the entire corporeal/physical world, i.e., the heavens and the earth and seas, and all its manifold and variety of creatures, animate or inanimate, large or small *. All corporeal creatures are composites of form and matter and neither form or matter exists independently of the other with the one exception of the human spiritual soul which exists independently of the human body after death or miraculously as in the case of the eucharist where the accidents of the consecrated bread and wine remain without a substance to inhere in.

(*) “For thy all-powerful hand, which created the world out of formless matter…” (Wisdom 11:17).