M.Ted - order=intellect therefore there is a divine purpose? Aquinas is not offering proof, merely an observation.
For me the fact that there is an apparent order within the universe - from the periodic table to the Fibonacci sequence - does not constitute any 'proof' of a god; merely that, for example, a tetradhedron makes best use of the bonds of the carbon atom. There is a logic there, but I'm afraid I don't see the hand of god at work.
As for the Aquinean 'proof' opening the doors to science; yes, but only insofaras it allowed an interfering and proscriptive church brought up on the 'because I said so' arguments of St Anselm to'ease up on the persecution of those who prefered observation and experiment to the blind acceptance of scripture.