“The science (_doctrina_) of Christian faith considers creatures so far as there may be in them some likeness of God, and so far as error regarding them might lead to error in things divine.... Human philosophy considers them after their own kind, and its parts are so devised as to correspond with the different classes (_genera_) of things; but the faith of Christ considers them, not after their own kind, as for example, fire as fire, but as representing the divine altitude.... The philosopher considers what belongs to them according to their own nature; the believer (_fidelis_) regards in creatures only what pertains to them in their relationship to God, as that they are created by Him and subject to Him. Wherefore the science of the Faith is not to be deemed incomplete, if it passes over many properties of things, as the shape of the heaven or the quality of motion.... It also follows that the two sciences do not proceed in the same order. With philosophy, which regards creatures in themselves, and from them draws on into a knowledge of God, the first consideration is in regard to the creatures and the last is as to God. But in the science of faith, which views creatures only in their relationship to God (_in ordine ad Deum_), the first consideration is of God, and next of the creatures.” Obviously _sacra doctrina_, which is to say, _theologia_, proceeds differently from _philosophia humana_, and evidently it has to do with matters of ultimate importance, and therefore of ultimate intellectual interest. The passage quoted from the _Contra Gentiles_ may be taken as introductory to the more elaborate statement at the beginning of his _Summa theologiae_, where Thomas sets forth the principles by which _sacra doctrina_ is distinguished from the _philosophicae disciplinae_, to wit, the various sciences of human philosophy: “It was necessary to human salvation that there should be a science (_doctrina_) according with divine revelation, besides the philosophical disciplines which are pursued by human reason. Because man was formed (_ordinatur_) toward God as toward an end exceeding reason’s comprehension. That end should be known to men, who ought to regulate their intentions and actions toward an end. Wherefore it was necessary for salvation that man should know certain matters through revelation, which surpass human reason.” Thomas now points out that, on account of many errors, it also was necessary for man to be instructed through divine revelation as to those saving truths concerning God which human reason was capable of investigating. He next proceeds to show that _sacra doctrina_ is science.