Book Description
An accessible and solid entry into the metaphysics of St. Thomas Aquinas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The One and the many, and the analogicity of Being:
Essence and existence. Aquinas develops Aristotelian metaphysics, the "transcendental" science of being (note that the term 'transcendental' as used by Thomas is quite different than the same term as used by Kant). Thomas' thought is among the densest of all philosophers', and is, for the modern student, perhaps more difficult to grasp than is the work of Kant. A reader unfamiliar with philosophy should not initiate his study with Thomas. For the student [at least] somewhat grounded in existentialist reasoning, this compilation serves as a concise introduction to Thomist metaphysics/ natural theology/ first philosophy. Translated and compiled by professor of philosophy, James F. Anderson, this volume is especially valuable in that Thomas Aquinas' work is so capacious and intimidating that one doesn't otherwise know how to approach it.
Thomas [and Averroes] reintroduced Aristotle to Western thought and Thomist scholasticism has illuminated the path from the 13th century to the 20th, he was perhaps the greatest intellect of the Middle Ages. Anderson's edition may be the best means of introducing oneself to St. Thomas Aquinas.

A deep introduction to Aquinas's metaphysical synthesis
This book harvests Aquinas's finest, clearest and most relevant metaphysical texts--particularly those that better elucidate his original philosophical synthesis--with a focus on three problems: the subject of metaphysics, the analogicity of being, and the most universal determinations of this notion: the "transcendentals."

Do not expect a comprehensive exposition of Aquinas's metaphysical thought, for this was clearly not the intent of the late James F. Anderson. In fact, the book does not introduce us to certain basic metaphysical notions such as substance, accident, prime matter and substantial form. For this reason, some knowledge of classical metaphysics is highly desirable, while not absolutely necessary, to benefit more fully from this outstanding compilation.

The selection is of tremendous educational value, especially if we consider that some of the incorporated texts are difficult to find in translation. Excellent for teachers and students alike.

In brief (in just 116 pages), this book reveals some of Aquinas's greatest contributions to classical, perennial "first philosophy." The result is a well-organized, fluent introduction to Aquinas's own thoughts in Aquinas's own words.

An excellent introduction to the metaphysics of St. Thomas
First, I will simply reiterate what the previous reviewer stated: "The author introduces the reader to the metaphysics of St. Thomas by compiling sources from disparate primary texts." Apparently, no single primary source for Thomas' metaphysics exists. The author has done us a tremendous service in bringing Aquinas' metaphysical teachings together in one volume.

This book also represents a great introduction to metaphysics in general, at least for a person who is trying to teach himself philosophy, such as myself.

I have found other compilations of Thomas' writings to be difficult to understand because they assume an understanding of the transcendentals: being, one, true, good and beautiful and their relationships to each other; and other philosophical terms such as act, potency, form and matter, substance and essence, etc.

In around 100 pages the author is able to convey the central concepts of Thomas' metaphysics very clearly, thus opening the way for further study in Thomas' writings.

I am very grateful to have discovered this book. I am sure you will be too.

Reliable introduction in Thomas's own words
The author introduces the reader to the metaphysics of St. Thomas by compiling sources from disparate primary texts.A wealth of citations in Thomas's own words results.The many works of Thomas are lengthy, oftendifficult to access and too expensive to own.The author has overcome thisbarrier, at least in terms of an adequate introduction.Citations arearranged in chapters such as "What is metaphysics, Modes of Being, TheAnalogy of Being," and the trandendentals, oneness, goodness, truth,and beauty. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Thinner Aquinas
This book is "The Thinner Aquinas," a targeted text specifically focusing on Aquinas's political and ethical writings.

Incluced are obvious selections from Summa Contra Gentiles and Summa Theologica (Five Ways of God's Existence and Essay on Law), but also included are excerpts from "De Regimine Principum."

There are hidden treasures in the back, excerpts from backgound sources and essays that influenced and were influenced by Thomisitic thought.

This book is geared towards a poltical scientist and poltical philosopher.For the theologian or the philosopher, however, I would reccomed Penguin Classics "Selected Writings."

PS--Nice picture on the cover!

A truly excellent anthology of Thomistic thought
This is a truly excellent selection of Thomistic writing, both by theAngelic Doctor and his critics and modern-day followers. It is not onlycomprehensive on the subject of Aquinas's politics and ethics but it is agood introduction to Thomism and natural law theory in general. MortimerAdler's spanking of Bill Moyers on the subject of objective ethics is worththe price of the book just by itself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

More to Three Prayers Than Meets the Eye
In this gem of a book, St. Thomas expounds upon the words of some of the most beautiful prayers ever composed.Many of these words which are somewhat obscure, such as "hallowed" in the Our Father, are explained in a clear and concise way by him.Unlike some of his other works which are geared more towards the scholarly minded, this one is reader friendly, one that everyone can enjoy. ... Read more

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Review from the Publisher
Thomas was slow to speak, a quiet and solemn youth. Yet he went on to become the Patron Saint of Catholic Schools and the greatest teacher ever in the history of the Catholic Church. For children ages 10 and up. 8 illustrations.

Great
Saint thomas Aquinas was not really dumb he was smart! But was following the virtue of humility. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Sketches of Two Seminal Saints in Classic Chesterton Style
Legendary Christian philosopher GK Chesterton wrote concise semi-biographies of St. Francis and St. Thomas Aquinas in 1923 and 1936 (the year of his death), respectively. Those years saw him convert to Catholicism, crystallizing a journey taking him from early appreciation of St. Francis in poetry and essays, to the depths of Oscar Wilde's nihilism to the freedom of orthodoxy expressed in that book and in his classic "Everlasting Man."

For their contrasting both saints' lives, drawn differently as silhouettes of Sancho Panza and Don Quixote (to name one of Chesterton's first, richest allegories in the Aquinas book), both books could with editing meld into the single volume Ignatius Press published. Both used Chesterton's mix of allegory, paradox and common sense eloquence making each of his books a re-discovery. Best of all, in Chesterton's words, both saints "reaffirmed the incarnation, by bringing God back to earth."

Chesterton writes each saint's biography inside out, seeing the major events of both lives through the prisms of their times. He shows bothrefuting their near-assigned destinies: born "on the hem of the imperial purple," Aquinas asks to be a begging friar and winds up arrested, imprisoned, and even tempted by his family. Born a successful merchant's son, young Francis Bernadone renounces his possessions (including his father Peter), takes poverty and dependence as a lover and walks into the woods in a hair-shirt, taking every existing thing as his family, every day as one without history, and finally writing his life philosophy in "Canticle of the Sun."

Loving the poor, having and wanting nothing, both depended on and thanked God for everything. Francis begged for the worst crumbs and traded down with beggars, using the remainder rebuild churches and lives. Aquinas appreciated his gift senses as windows into God's beauty and reality, refusing to separate earthly process from heaven's factual logic. His "Ens" philosophy, stemming from his need to draw Aristotle's influence back to Christ, filled volumes and stood as the easiest theory to understand and accept of how the world works. (Chesterton's image of the child at the window watching grass makes it simpler still.)

The same can be said of Chesterton's humorous to miraculous anecdotes attributed to St. Francis. These range from Francis' attempts to convert the Sultan of Damietta by throwing himself into fire, creating a snow angel substitute family to refute temptation, to receiving Stigmata (which Chesterton defends with stiletto-sharp apologia). Chesterton also shares part of Francis' relationship with St. Clare, from which formed one of three religious orders he'd inspire. After Francis' death, without his guidance, these would splinter into heresy before the Papacy wisely reigned its passions against what Chesterton referred to as "the staleness" of a new religion.

Benito Mussolini, who hijacked his country's proud religious and secular history to gain power, once said, "The history of saints is mainly the history of insane people." Chesterton's sketches of Thomas Aquinas and Francis of Assisi counter by saying both these sane, logical saints, mistaken by their times for poison, were medicine because they were antidotes. They stood and yet stand against changing 20th-21st centuryfashions and facelessness. Few Chesterton writings bring his enduring linguistic and logical gifts to such high yet focused purpose and proof. These books, economically and ideologically joined, make essential reading for followers of Chesterton, Catholic apologetics, and Christian history.

A high altitude view of two great Saints.
St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Francis make for quite a contrast--St. Thomas was one of the greatest brains of the Catholic Church, and St. Francis had one of the greatest hearts.Chesterton has a knack for putting ideas and people into the largest possible context with the least amount of details.These biographies, though short on specifics, put across the essence of each man's character and his impact on the world. Chesterton's writing style in both is more poetic than his essays and even some of his fiction.

"And for him [St. Thomas] the point is always that Man is not a balloon going up into the sky, nor a mole burrowing merely in the earth; but rather a thing like a tree, whose roots are fed from the earth, while its highest branches seem to rise almost to the stars."

"He [St. Francis] devoured fasting as a man devours food.He plunged after poverty as men have dug madly for gold.And it is precisely the positive and passionate quality of this part of his personality that is a challenge to the modern mind in the whole problem of the pursuit of pleasure."

Chesterton piles on insights like these on page after page. Chesterton paints a very personal picture--after reading these biographies, I felt as if I really knew who these men were, how they spoke, how they thought, how they might have talked to me.

One caution--these works may not be the best place to start. In my case, I didn't know much about St. Francis to begin with.Since Chesterton doesn't provide many historical details, some of his references (e.g., to his miracles and famous sayings), were hard to follow.

Classic Chesterton
I found this book by accident and haven't even finished it yet, but what a pleasure to read!Chesterton's logic and humor are delightful and the way he is always looking at the "big picture" of Christianity is wonderful. It's a good thing it has footnotes to explain some of the references to British politics.He writes as though to non-Catholics (which I am) who know very little about St. Francis (other than he preached to the animals) and next to nothing about St. Thomas Aquinas.If you like Chesterton and are remotly interested in these two saints who were in many ways opposites of each other, buy and read this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Informative book divided into the following chapters: Union of Sanctity and Science in St. Thomas, The Sources of the Union of Sanctity and Science in St. Thomas, Teaching of St. Thomas on Mental Prayer, Mystical Prayer or Prayer of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost, The Saints are the Truly Great Ones of This World ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Guide to Strengthen the Lives of Priests
This book is a very insightful read in which Father Basil both outlines the unique identity of the priesthood and also looks at how the struggles with different vices apply to it. He draws heavily from the Catechism as well as papal documents in fleshing out his understanding of the priesthood and he draws also heavily on the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas in looking at the different vices. Many Thomistic themes, such as the need for contemplation are prevalent throughout the work and what emerges is a very pastoral guide for understanding human nature and stocking up the spiritual arsenal for those times when one faces various temptations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Being and Somethingness
As the other reviewers have said, this book is truly a classic, and like most of Gilson's opus is well worth reading by anyone interested in philosophy. Particularly strong are the early chapters on being (ontology) and on Aquinas's famous proofs of the existence of God.

Gilson wants to convince as well as explain, so the tone can be a little tendentious at times, but generally his prose is lucid, even lyrical. Also, in my opinion the final chapter somewhat blurs the distinction between Thomism and saving faith.

Ultimately, however, this book fully succeeds in getting under the skin of Thomistic philosophy. After reading it, you may never see "things" in quite the same way.

The best introduction to Aquinas available today.
Clear.Concise.Masterful.A true classic. If you want to understand Aquinas, read Gilson's book first.Then read it three more times.

An excellent introduction to the thought of Aquinas
Gilson has exceptional skill in explaining difficult philosophical concepts.He lays out the existential foundations of St. Thomas Aquinas' thought and makes a compelling case that "the metaphysical positionsof Aquinas are still far ahead of what is considered most progressive inthe philosophical thought of our own times." Gilson relates thethought of Aquinas to that of his predecessors, especially Aristotle andAugustine.Although this book can be difficult reading at times, thereader will be rewarded by the effort. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

ok
I am not crazy about this book simply because it is a Concise translation.Otherwise it is a fine work.If you arent familiar with the scholastic set up or how it works this is probably the work for you, or are a "casual" reader of Thomas perhaps.I cannot quite imagine a casual reader of Thomas but thats ok.I would definitely recomend at least looking at the real thing at least once.The Benziger Bros. edition is probably one of the best, it keeps the scholastic structure that is, I think, so important especially for philosophical work.As someone familiar with medieval scholastic philosophy I could hardly imagine trying to slog through Thomas without the inherent structure to the argument that the scholastic form brings to it which is pretty much the part that gets sacrificed for conciseness in this version.

An Expanded Index
As a research student in philosophy and a Catholic priest I have found this volume invaluable. It sits on my shelf next to my five volume 1950 Leonine edition of the Summa and acts as an expanded index. This is undoubtedly its greatest value: when seeking something in the Summa the ability to lift down this one volume, look for the appropriate text and check a summary of the Questions before turning to the real thing. I would additionally recommend it to all philosophy students and those interested in Catholic Philosophy and Theology as a text which can stand alone and whet the interest in this great thinkers magnum opus.

Thumbnail of the Summa
This is an impressive book.It is a collection of all of the "I answer that" sections of the Summa Theologica.This gives you a supreme one-volume version of Thomas' affirmative thought on Catholic Theology and Philosophy.This is a great "Thumbnail" and "introduction"to the hefty five-volume opus that many people love, but few have read.

There are only two deficiencies with this volume.It does not have any commentary that other Thomistic books have, such as "A Summa of the Summa."Secondly, it omits the rather fascinating interplay of ideas that characterizes all of Thomas' works.Aquinas was agile at confronting and assimilating opposing ideas.He was able to intellectually met steel to steel, and this is what makes him a mental giant.

This book is good for Catholics who want to know their religion, or anyone who is not Catholic (as I am), who can appreciate a genius when he or she works

A must for students
While any rigorous Thomistic scholarship obviously requires reference to Aquinas' unabridged works, this translation and abridgment is ideal for introducing students to Aquinas' thought.It allows students access toprimary source material which would otherwise be too voluminous for easyconsumption in an introductory setting.While scholars may debate thecorrectness of some of the translation, that is an issue for almost anytranslated text.Hence, I utilize this text myself in teaching Aquinas andhighly recommend it to others looking for their first exposure to theAngelic Doctor's supreme achievment.

A very clear and concise translation!
For those of us who do not have the time to physically sit down and read all five books of the Summa, this is most certainly the closest you will come to consuming the real thing!I found this after I had began to readthe first few chapters and nothing comes so close to capturing the essenceof Aquinas's writings so thouroughly (and in only a sixth of the size ofthe original)!This book is a must for the true Thomistic scholar! ... Read more

Book Description
Thomas Aquinas' best-known work is the Summa Theologica. As the title indicates, the Summa is a "summing up" of all that can be known about Christian theology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

The classic, what did you expect? :-)
This is the definitive work of Catholic theology and is still studied in all the divinity schools. I had the two-volume set included in the Great Books of the Western World. It isn't the sort of work one goes to for a little light reading, obviously, but as an exercise in applied classical logic as well as theology, it is one of the most important ever written.

Thomas is important to both mystical and non-mystical traditions within Christianity, and for me the most interesting aspects of the work are where he attempts to deduce the various aspects and attributes of God. This was a popular exercise in the area of natural philosophy, and even mathematicians with a religious bent, such as Newton and Leibnitz, had a go at it, Newton referring to God in his Principia (his mathematical theory of universal gravitation) as "...an infinite and elastic spirit." And of course Leibnitz is famous for the ontological argument for God's existence.

In addition, Thomas was also concerned with everyday life and ethics and morality, with a person's natural and supernatural life, countering heretical thinking, and the nature of beauty. He influenced early Renaissance artists such as Fra Angelica, who followed Thomas's three canons of beauty: immaterial purity of form, luminous clarity of color, and harmonious beauty of proportions, and Angelica's paintings are really meditations upon these three principles, in some ways not so different from the way Perugino's paintings (Leonardo's teacher) were sometimes meditations on spatial geometry.

Finally, you may know the story that when Thomas was in school, he was very quiet in class and so his fellow students thought him dull. But at the conclusion of one class when the teacher gave the final exam, he was the only one with the right answer. Sort of reminds me of those stories about Einstein. :-) All of which just goes to show you that you can't judge a book by its cover--nor the Summa Theologica, too, I might add.

A great resource for theological research

I purchased this Five-volume set after taking a couple of philosophy courses, which I feel like I should recommend to anyone starting to dive into this hefty text.If you don't feel like taking a class, perhaps some of the secondary texts written by philosophers about Aquinas will help in reading this fantastic set of info.
Aquinas forms his arguments in a way that is almost flawless.I am not Catholic, yet I find this to be an explanation of Catholic doctrine that makes me almost want to convert.For anyone from the atheist to the devout catholic, this text is a window into one of the greateast natural and revealed theologians to ever document his thoughts.Footnotes are aplenty to send you on your way to other documents, especially Augistine, so be prepared for an obsession.

Mike Yandell

Summa is supreme
Probably the best sys theo work ever. Oh, that more fellow Protestants would pour over this text!

Good Theology, Good Philosophy
These volumes have withstood the test of time in the worlds of religion and philosophy.Reading the words of one of the greatest minds in history is both entertaining and educational.This set is a must have for anyone who likes to study philosophy.For a beginner, it may be beneficial to get one of the many Aquinas readers or help texts, but it doesn't take very long to catch on and soon you will find yourself just reading at your own pace, making your own ideas about what Aquinas is all about.

Great Work, Good Translation
The Summa Theologica of Saint Thomas is without doubt one of the greatest works in the history of the Christian faith.The logical order and progression is simply amazing and the scope of the work monumental.

This translation is generally very close to the sense of the Latin original, although in a few cases I have noticed some strange differences. For example, in Pt. 1 Q.1 A. 4. The Dominican Fathers translate the Latin (which reads "Magis tamen est speculativa quam practica") as ". . . speculative rather than practical" although the Latin reads ". . . speculative MORE than practical." This is a substantial change in the meaning which ends up creating confusion in the next article when Thomas says that theology is ". . . partly speculative and partly practical".There are other variations from the Latin throughout the rest of the work, some more and less important.

I urge those who are interested in a serious study of Saint Thomas to use this text as an aid to a deeper study with the Latin. If this is not possible for you, this translation will nevertheless give you a good introduction and tool for an introductory and intermediate understanding of Saint Thomas's thought. ... Read more

Product Description
St. Thomas Aquinas is known for his masterwork the "Summa theologiae," yet his biblical commentaries have been somewhat neglected.Similarily many readers of the Bible do not spend much time with Colossians.This pearl of a Commentary should assist not only in renewing interest in Aquinas's exegetical insights, but also in deepening our appreciation for the richness of this Epistle to the Colossians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A master work.
Well, as all Roman Catholics know, Saint Thomas Aquinas is the greatest theologian of all the times. He wrote several books, and among them it is, of course, his masterpiece,"The Summa Theologica". But, near the end of his life, he said that everything he wrote was nothing, of no value. He was speaking about the wonderfull revelacions that God gave him and that he felt he couldn't reveal.
This book, "Summa contra Gentiles", it's also a masterwork and this translation with its commentaries is just wonderfull. ... Read more