Name Aquinas's four levels of law.

The four are eternal law, divine law, natural law and human law. Each lower level derives its authority from the one above it.

Eternal law is God's own rational ordering of the whole of creation. The human mind cannot know it in itself.

Divine law is the part of eternal law revealed in scripture, such as the Decalogue and the teaching of Christ. Revelation supplies what unaided reason cannot reach.

Human law is the particular legislation communities make for themselves. A human law that conflicts with natural law is, for Aquinas, a corruption of law rather than a law.

Why does Aquinas say natural law is accessible to everyone?

Natural law is discovered by rational thought rather than by revelation. Believer and non-believer alike possess the reason needed to find it.

Eduqas A-Level Religious Studies A120QS

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Topic overview The birth narratives and the doctrine of the incarnation The resurrection, the resurrected body and the afterlife The Bible as a guide to daily living The biblical canon and theories of inspiration The kerygmata in Acts Crossan and Wright on the historical Jesus

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Topic overview God as father and mother, and the suffering of God The Trinity and the filioque controversy Theories of the Atonement Justification by faith and works The community of believers and the role of the Church Key moral principles in Christianity

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Topic overview Christian attitudes towards wealth Christian migration and reverse mission in the UK Feminist theology and the ordination of women Secularisation and Christianity in the UK Dawkins, McGrath and the challenge from science Exclusivism, inclusivism and religious pluralism

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Islam: Religious Figures and Sacred TextsIslam

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Deontological Ethics

Aquinas's four levels of law and the primary precepts

3 things to know
Component 3

Overview

Natural law, in Aquinas's account, aquinas's four levels of law and eternal law.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

How does Aquinas define natural law, what are his four levels, and what is the highest of them?

Evaluation

Assess how far human law should be shaped by Aquinas's natural law.

Key term

What is natural law, in Aquinas's account?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is natural law, in Aquinas's account?
Model answer
Natural law is the rational creature's participation in the eternal law of God. Human reason discovers it by reflecting on human nature and its purpose.
2
Name Aquinas's four levels of law.
Model answer
The four are eternal law, divine law, natural law and human law. Each lower level derives its authority from the one above it.
3
Define eternal law.
Model answer
Eternal law is God's own rational ordering of the whole of creation. The human mind cannot know it in itself.
4
Define divine law.
Model answer
Divine law is the part of eternal law revealed in scripture, such as the Decalogue and the teaching of Christ. Revelation supplies what unaided reason cannot reach.
5
Define human law.
Model answer
Human law is the particular legislation communities make for themselves. A human law that conflicts with natural law is, for Aquinas, a corruption of law rather than a law.
6
Why does Aquinas say natural law is accessible to everyone?
Model answer
Natural law is discovered by rational thought rather than by revelation. Believer and non-believer alike possess the reason needed to find it.

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Aquinas's four levels of law and the primary precepts

Overview

What you need to know

How does Aquinas define natural law, what are his four levels, and what is the highest of them?

Assess how far human law should be shaped by Aquinas's natural law.

What is natural law, in Aquinas's account?

Questions from this subtopic

What is natural law, in Aquinas's account?

Name Aquinas's four levels of law.

Define eternal law.

Define divine law.

Define human law.

Why does Aquinas say natural law is accessible to everyone?

Other ways to work this

What is inside Levo

See a huge jump in your memorisation

Cram a whole paper in one sitting

Blank Blitz consolidates the facts

Build It trains answer structure

Test It catches misconceptions

Brain Breaks between sessions

Every question in Deontological Ethics, on a schedule.