14. Thomas Aquinas

The waning years of the Crusades brought considerable skepticism, cynicism, and fragmentation to European Christianity, and the prospects for the church at the time seemed less than happy. It was at just this time, however, that one of the most striking geniuses of Christian history emerged and through his efforts a great deal of ground was recovered for the cause of Christ. Thomas Aquinas was, however, not only a profound thinker, but also a man of deep faith and devotion, which permeated all of his labors and made him one of the defining personalities of the late middle ages.