Vedānta Deśika and Thomas Aquinas on the Intrinsic Value of Nature

Abstract

This comparative study engages Vedānta Deśika, a major Sri Vaishnava thinker, alongside Thomas Aquinas, to examine convergences in their theological claims about the world’s dependence on God. Scheid argues both thinkers affirm the intrinsic value of nature due to its created status and God’s immanent presence. Through a theological ecology lens, he evaluates how both traditions address the ethical imperative to respect and preserve the natural world, ultimately showing how premodern theologies can inform modern environmental ethics.