The Eternity of the World in the Thought of Thomas Aquinas and his Contemporaries

Book excerpt: This study forms part of a research programme aiming to interpret and evaluate the theology of Thomas Aquinas and the later reception of his theology. In particular, it deals with the reception of Aquinas' thinking about the eternity of the world by theologians at the end of the 13th and the beginning of the 14th century. De Grijs defends the thesis that Aquinas' main interest in De Aeternitate Mundi is not philosophical but theological; while Aertsen opposes this thesis and tries to demonstrate Aquinas' philosophical purposes by comparing his De Aeternitate Mundi with his De Potentia and by study of his concept of creation. Van Veldhuijsen sketches the difference between Aquinas and Bonaventure in this respect. M. Hoenen concentrates on the importance of William de la Mare's Correctorium fratris Thomae and of the Correctoria Corruptorii for our understanding of the history of the reception of the views of Aquinas. F. Thijssen discusses the criticism of the Oxford theologian Henry of Harclay (died 1317) of Aquinas' views on two central issues that are involved in an eternal world: the traversal of an infinity and the existence of unequal infinities. Van Veldhuijsen, finally investigates Aquinas' reception by Richard of Middleton.