The 60-Second Aquinas
Lesson
Creation from Nothing
Aquinas Lesson for August 9, 1998
What do you need to build a doghouse? Lumber, nails, tools, and a location. The location is needed because you must have some place to set the doghouse. Even though it might not have a permanent location, the doghouse cannot hover in air.
If you use the tools and materials and build a doghouse, you are rightfully called the creator of the doghouse. However, you would, of course, realize that other individuals were involved who created the lumber, nails, tools, and even the location.
This example might shed some light on what it means to say that God created the earth from nothing: "It is clear that in creating, God does not need preexisting matter from which to fashion things" (Compendium of Theology Ch. 69).
To say that God could not create the earth from nothing would be to say that some other matter had to have existed prior to God or by the result of something other than God. This theory runs counter to the definition of God as the uncaused cause.
Aquinas, in exploring this issue, says, "no agent needs, prior to his action, what he produces by his action" (Compendium Ch. 69).
Explanation of The 60-Second Aquinas Lesson
