Selected Writings by Thomas Aquinas & Ralph McInerny

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This book

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About Thomas Aquinas

Selected Writings

» Thomas Aquinas

» Ralph McInerny

Editor/introduction - Ralph McInerny

Translator - Ralph McInerny

Penguin Classics
Paperback : 25 Jun 1998

£14.99

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Edited and translated with an introduction and notes by Ralph McInerny

Synopsis

‘The greatest happiness is for the mind to attain God’

In his reflections on Christianity, Saint Thomas Aquinas (c.1225–74) forged a unique synthesis of ancient philosophy and medieval theology. Preoccupied with the relationship between faith and reason, he was influenced both by Aristotle’s rational world view, and by the powerful belief that wisdom and truth can ultimately only be reached through divine revelation. Thomas’s writings, which contain highly influential statements of fundamental Christian doctrine, as well as observations on topics as diverse as political science, anti-Semitism and heresy, demonstrate the great range of his intellect and place him firmly among the greatest medieval philosophers.

In this selection, arranged chronologically to reveal the development and sheer scope of Thomas’ ideas, Ralph McInerny brings together Thomas’ sermons, commentaries and responses to criticism, and extracts from the principal works: the Summa theologiae and Summa contra Gentiles.

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Critic Review:

"There are readers of Aquinas's works, but Penguin's surpasses all by its sheer size, the very representative choice of texts, the excellent translations, and scholarly, informative introductions." —Albert E. Gunn

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Table of contents

Selected Writings - Thomas Aquinas

Introduction
Chronology
A Note on the Texts

Part One: Student (1245-56)
1. The Inaugural Sermons (1256)
2. On the Principles of Nature (1252-6)
3. On Being and Essence (1252-6)
4. The Nature of Theology. Commentary on Sentences I, Prologue (1252-4)
5. The Work of the Six Days of Creation. Commentary on Sentences 2.2, d. 12 (1252-4)

Part Two: Master at Paris (1256-9)
6. Theology, Faith and Reason. On Boethius On the Trinity, 1-2 (1257)
7. How are Things Good? Exposition of On the Hebdomads of Boethius (1257)
8. The Meanings of Truth. Disputed Question on Truth, I (1256-9)
9. On the Teacher. Disputed Question on Truth, II (1256-9)
10. On Conscience. Disputed Question on Truth, 17 (1256-9)

Part Three: Italy (1259-68)
11. Proof of God's Existence. Summa contra Gentiles, I, 9-14 (1259)
12. The Human Good. Summa contra Gentiles, 3 (1259-65)
13. On the Divine Simplicity. Disputed Question of the Power of God, 7 (1265-6)
14. On Goodness and the Goodness of God. Summa theologiae, 1, 5-6 (1268)
15. On Creation. Summa theologiae, 1, 44 (1268)
16. On Angelic Knowledge. Summa theologiae, 1, 54-8 (1268)
17. Definitions of Soul. On Aristotle's De anima, 2, 1-3 (1268)
18. Platonism and Neoplatonism. Preface to Exposition of On the Divine Names (1265-8)

Part Four: Paris (1269-72)
19. The Range of Natural Philosophy. Expositions of Physics, 1, 1, Preface to On the Heavens, Preface to On Sense and the Sensed Object (1269)
20. How Words Mean. Exposition of On Interpretation, 1-5 (1270-71)
21. On the Ultimate End. Summa theologiae, 1-2, 1-5 (1271)
22. On Human Choice. Disputed Question on Evil, 6 (1266-72)
23. What Makes Actions Good or Bad? Summa theologiae, 1-2, 18-20 (1271)
24. On Law and Natural Law. Summa theologiae, 1-2, 90-94 (1271)
25. The Virtues. Summa theologiae, 1-2, 55-7 (1271-2)
26. The Active and Contemplative Lives. Summa theologiae, 2-2, 179-81 (1271-2)
27. On the Eternity of the World (1271)
28. The Love of Wisdom. Exposition of Metaphysics, Preface and 1, 1-3 (1271)

Part Five: Naples (1272-4)
29. The Logic of the Incarnation. Summa theologiae, 3, 16 (1273)
30. What is a Sacrament? Summa theologiae, 3, 6 (1273)
31. The Exposition of the Book of Causes, 1-5 (1272)
32. Exposition of Paul's Epistle to Philemon (1273)
33. Exposition of the Angelic Salutation (Ave Maria) (1273)

Glossary