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Examined Doctrine

Thomas Aquinas on Authority of Scripture

1225 – 1274 · SCHOLASTIC
STANDARD SCHOLARLY ACCOUNTAFFIRMS°
STANCE

Scripture with tradition and church teaching office

THE POSITION

Scripture is the source of revealed doctrine, interpreted within sacred tradition and under the church's teaching office. Reason can establish much about God, but saving truth requires revelation.

SCRIPTURE
2 TIMOTHY 3:16 · BSB

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

6 OTHERS HOLD THIS

Basil the GreatChalcedonChrysostomConstantinople IEphesusNicaea I
Scripture alone is the final, only infallible authorityJACOBUS ARMINIUS · VODDIE BAUCHAM · CALVIN · JONATHAN EDWARDS · THE CHURCH OF ELEVEN22 STATEMENT OF FAITH · M. HEISER · JOSH HOWERTON · SECOND LONDON BAPTIST CONFESSION · LUTHER · JOHN MACARTHUR · PHILIP MELANCHTHON · GAVIN ORTLUND · JOHN OWEN · JUSTIN PETERS · JOHN PIPER · R.C. SPROUL · WESLEY · WESTMINSTER CONFESSION · ZWINGLI
Scripture supreme, recognized and interpreted through the churchATHANASIUS · AUGUSTINE · IRENAEUS
See all 29 figures on authority of scripture →

ABOUT THIS FIGURE

Dominican friar, author of the Summa Theologiae. Synthesized Aristotelian philosophy with Christian doctrine; the reference point for later Catholic theology.

1 OF 13 POSITIONS QUOTED
Everything Aquinas holds →
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"Thomas Aquinas on Authority of Scripture", Examined Doctrine, July 2026 edition, https://examineddoctrine.com/position/aquinas/scripture-authority (archived at https://examineddoctrine.com/editions/2026-07/position/aquinas/scripture-authority).

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