Occasional Writing for T8 – Aquinas, Part 1
Thomas Aquinas, Treatise on Law, Questions 90-94
Explain the relationship among eternal, natural, and divine law, as Aquinas understands it. Please limit yourself to 200-300 words and submit your comments no later than 24 hours before class begins on T8.
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Philosophy 395: Philosophy of Law 
Before I address the eternal, natural and divine law as according to Thomas Aquinas, he suggested that there are four defining characteristics of measure to determine if something is law or not. He suggested it must be: (1) a dictate of practical reason, (2) ordered towards the common good, (3) made by one who cares for the community, and (4) it is formally made public. Now eternal laws are the laws of everything. They are perennial, which means they continue to stay true year after year. Then there’s natural law and only rational beings can participate in natural law. It basically states “do and pursue good while shunning evil”. And finally there’s divine law, and this law surpasses natural law. This deals with the beyond, or afterlife, and states that “the human good involves not only forming the right action but doing it in the right nature”. I believe Thomas Aquinas would suggest that eternal law is the highest and paramount of all laws. Now, while all things, including creatures, are subject to eternal law, only human are subject to natural and divine law. These two forms of laws, natural and divine, require a consciousness that can understand Gods expectation for us. And as for how these laws are made public to all, Aquinas suggests it’s through our given conscience by God which is why we all understand and accept that certain deeds are right and wrong without having been taught.
Law is as eternal as its creator. Humans constantly create law as a means to an end result, fashioning a foundation for order. Humans, however, are temporary beings whose promulgated laws become whisked away in the sands of time. Aquinas recognizes God as the only true eternal presence. Although his law cannot be eternally promulgated into substance due to the human race’s meek existence, His existence is as eternal as is the law he endorses. Due to the law of God being the only law which is eternal, eternal law is also divine because of God’s lasting divinity. Natural law has also been instilled in us since our creation. Natural law is our conscience; it is our sense of good and evil. God, our creator, designed us to do what is right. Sometimes we fall short and relapse into our physical programming causing the two forms of natural law to clash. Humans have both the law of our design and the law of our actions combined to create natural law. Our nature was created by God’s divine law which is eternal. God is the common factor between all laws. His laws are promulgated through the Bible, created by the reason he bestowed upon us, and for the good of all He has made.
Eternal Law was explained as recognizing that man is not eternal, but God is eternal. Although man may come and go, eternal law found in the Word of God and the Book of life will stay. Aquinas explains that the eternal law is simply the plan of divine wisdom that directs all the actions and movements of created things. In other words, God is the ruler and creator of everything and through his wisdom he directs movements or actions, which is why the eternal law is a supreme plan in God. Natural law is a part of eternal law which has the foundation of God. All human desires are a part of human nature, and the natural laws direct these desires by identifying good vs. evil. Aquinas believes that Natural Law is overpowered by our sins, but does not destroy it completely. Natural Law revolves around the instruction to do good and avoid evil. Aquinas says that divine law is necessary to give direction to human life and for eternal blessedness. It surpasses human judgment and help human laws examine internal acts. I think Aquinas is also saying that eternal law is divine. It stems from the divine wisdom of God.
Thomas Aquinas explains how the law is derived, how the law and politics can be squared with God’s law and how the law of God has been developed and integrated to form the basis of a moral society. Thomas Aquinas tells that Eternal Law is the rational governance of everything on the part of God as the ruler of the universe. That Natural Law is the way which rational creatures participate in the Eternal Law of God. He states that Divine Law is the part of Eternal Law that God positively revealed to the Jews through prophets and then through Jesus Christ. The Divine Law helps us to attain our supernatural end. The relation between Eternal, natural and Divine Law is the process by which human creatures receive and apply the law. Eternal Law is that which God governs the world (how things work), natural law is our (His creatures) way of applying those rules and Divine Law is the positive law revealed to us as a road map for how to attain heaven (what we must do). Human Law is another form which Thomas Aquinas explains. Human Law is the application of law by human creatures which we derive through reason. Therefore according to Thomas Aquinas it seems as though he would advocate that laws must be obeyed unless the Human Law does not follow from the Eternal or Divine Law from which it is dreived.
Posted for Irene Joyce:
Aquinas says that law in general is a that which measures and rules. Eternal law, as Aquinas understands it, coincides with God’s reason which dictates the law of the universe He created. Because God’s reason is eternal, the law which eminates from His reason is also eternal bound with His reason. Eternal law measures all things subject to God’s providence. Natural law applies to humans more than it applies to non-rational creatures because humans share in providing for themselves and others in God’s providential plan. Natural law is participation in the eternal law by rational creatures. Divine law is needed, to be revealed by God through religion or revelation, because humans reason is imperfect. Humans can reach major precepts though reason, but when it comes to particulars, they can fall in error and reach opposite conclusions, especially on moral matters. For this reason, divine law is needed to guide humans to act morally and avoid sin. It seems that all three laws ontologically go back to God who is the uncaused cause of all the laws. For Aquinas, it seems impossible to conceive of laws without believing in God. The eternal law, then natural law, then divine law, also are in this order from more broad to more specific as they apply to all creatures, to rational creatures, and finally to moral decisions.