Aquinas on natural law

Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae contains his teaching on natural law and its relation to eternal and human law. Law, according to Aquinas is a “dictate of practical reason emanating from the ruler who governs.” This “rule and measure” can exist in two ways, a rule being promulgated or a rule being received from promulgation. To understand Aquinas’ explanation of natural law one must first understand his view of eternal law. Eternal law is the rule dictated to us by Divine Reason, being that God rules the world with Divine Providence. This law is e...