As I recall from Dr. Loyal Rue's History of Western Philosophy classes at Luther College which I took in 1989 or 1990, Thomas Aquinas was credited with the "unmoved mover" proof for the existence of God. A quick search on Google demonstrates that the Catholic Encyclopedia deems him the author as well.
I just read Gregory of Nazianzus "Second Theological Oration - on God" in which he asks, "what is it that moves all things, and what moves that, and what is the force that moves that? And so on ad infinitum. . . . "1 Does anyone know why this is not referenced as an earlier source for this proof for God's existence?
Yes, I do know that Aquinas was in the West and Nazianzus in the East and yet, it seems that one might have at least mentioned him. . . Mind you, I am equally excited that I still remembered this little "fun fact" about Aquinas!!!
1In Christology of the Later Fathers, ed. Edward R. Hardy(Louisville: Westminster, 1954), 141.
I just read Gregory of Nazianzus "Second Theological Oration - on God" in which he asks, "what is it that moves all things, and what moves that, and what is the force that moves that? And so on ad infinitum. . . . "1 Does anyone know why this is not referenced as an earlier source for this proof for God's existence?
Yes, I do know that Aquinas was in the West and Nazianzus in the East and yet, it seems that one might have at least mentioned him. . . Mind you, I am equally excited that I still remembered this little "fun fact" about Aquinas!!!
1In Christology of the Later Fathers, ed. Edward R. Hardy(Louisville: Westminster, 1954), 141.
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I'm still working on it.