How did Scholastic thinkers differ even though they shared respect for the same authorities?

Scholastic thinkers shared a common respect for "authorities"—such as the Church Fathers, Aristotle, Plato, and others—but they did not adhere to a single, unified doctrine. Instead, they differed in several key ways:12

• Interpretation of Authorities: While all Scholastics valued these foundational texts, their individual interpretations and evaluations of them frequently diverged, leading to distinct philosophical systems.12
• Methodological Disagreements: Scholasticism relied on lectures and formal disputations, where teachers and students argued opposing sides of a question. These debates often resulted in conflicting conclusions among masters.12
• Evolution of Schools: Over time, these differences solidified into organized "schools" of thought, such as Thomism (associated with St. Thomas Aquinas) and the Franciscan traditions of John Duns Scotus and William of Ockham.34
• The Faith-Reason Divide: Thinkers differed significantly on the relationship between faith and reason. While some sought to synthesize them, others, like Ockham, argued that faith and knowledge were distinct, ultimately leading to a "divorce" between the two.35