Whether There Is Only One Heaven?
Objection 1: It would seem that there is only one heaven. For the
heaven is contrasted with the earth, in the words, "In the beginning
God created heaven and earth." But there is only one earth. Therefore
there is only one heaven.
Obj. 2: Further, that which consists of the entire sum of its own
matter, must be one; and such is the heaven, as the Philosopher
proves (De Coel. i, text. 95). Therefore there is but one heaven.
Obj. 3: Further, whatever is predicated of many things univocally
is predicated of them according to some common notion. But if there
are more heavens than one, they are so called univocally, for if
equivocally only, they could not properly be called many. If, then,
they are many, there must be some common notion by reason of which
each is called heaven, but this common notion cannot be assigned.
Therefore there cannot be more than one heaven.
_On the contrary,_ It is said (Ps. 148:4): "Praise Him, ye heavens
of heavens."
_I answer that,_ On this point there seems to be a diversity of
opinion between Basil and Chrysostom. The latter says that there is
only one heaven (Hom. iv in Gen.), and that the words 'heavens of
heavens' are merely the translation of the Hebrew idiom according to
which the word is always used in the plural, just as in Latin there
are many nouns that are wanting in the singular. On the other hand,
Basil (Hom. iii in Hexaem.), whom Damascene follows (De Fide Orth.
ii), says that there are many heavens. The difference, however, is
more nominal than real. For Chrysostom means by the one heaven the
whole body that is above the earth and the water, for which reason
the birds that fly in the air are called birds of heaven [*Ps. 8:9].
But since in this body there are many distinct parts, Basil said
that there are more heavens than one.
In order, then, to understand the distinction of heavens, it must be
borne in mind that Scripture speaks of heaven in a threefold sense.
Sometimes it uses the word in its proper and natural meaning, when it
denotes that body on high which is luminous actually or potentially,
and incorruptible by nature. In this body there are three heavens; the
first is the empyrean, which is wholly luminous; the second is the
aqueous or crystalline, wholly transparent; and the third is called
the starry heaven, in part transparent, and in part actually luminous,
and divided into eight spheres. One of these is the sphere of the
fixed stars; the other seven, which may be called the seven heavens,
are the spheres of the planets.
In the second place, the name heaven is applied to a body that
participates in any property of the heavenly body, as sublimity and
luminosity, actual or potential. Thus Damascene (De Fide Orth. ii)
holds as one heaven all the space between the waters and the moon's
orb, calling it the aerial. According to him, then, there are three
heavens, the aerial, the starry, and one higher than both these, of
which the Apostle is understood to speak when he says of himself
that he was "rapt to the third heaven."
But since this space contains two elements, namely, fire and air, and
in each of these there is what is called a higher and a lower region
Rabanus subdivides this space into four distinct heavens. The higher
region of fire he calls the fiery heaven; the lower, the Olympian
heaven from a lofty mountain of that name: the higher region of air he
calls, from its brightness, the ethereal heaven; the lower, the
aerial. When, therefore, these four heavens are added to the three
enumerated above, there are seven corporeal heavens in all, in the
opinion of Rabanus.
Thirdly, there are metaphorical uses of the word heaven, as when this
name is applied to the Blessed Trinity, Who is the Light and the Most
High Spirit. It is explained by some, as thus applied, in the words,
"I will ascend into heaven"; whereby the evil spirit is represented as
seeking to make himself equal with God. Sometimes also spiritual
blessings, the recompense of the Saints, from being the highest of all
good gifts, are signified by the word heaven, and, in fact, are so
signified, according to Augustine (De Serm. Dom. in Monte), in the
words, "Your reward is very great in heaven" (Matt. 5:12).
Again, three kinds of supernatural visions, bodily, imaginative, and
intellectual, are called sometimes so many heavens, in reference to
which Augustine (Gen. ad lit. xii) expounds Paul's rapture "to the
third heaven."
Reply Obj. 1: The earth stands in relation to the heaven as the
centre of a circle to its circumference. But as one center may have
many circumferences, so, though there is but one earth, there may be
many heavens.
Reply Obj. 2: The argument holds good as to the heaven, in so far as
it denotes the entire sum of corporeal creation, for in that sense it
is one.
Reply Obj. 3: All the heavens have in common sublimity and some
degree of luminosity, as appears from what has been said.
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