Thomas Aquinas, Saint (1225?-1274)

St. Thomas Aquinas -- from The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge

Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 14: Simony-Tournon -- from Herbermann, Charles George (1840-1916)

Thomas Aquinas, Saint (1225?-1274) -- from Wikipedia Article

Catena Aurea - Gospel of Mark

Description: Catena Aurea, or "Golden Chain," is a unique style of biblical commentary comprised of fragments from other existing commentaries. Aquinas' Gospel of Matthew features the teachings of St. Augustine, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Ambrose, The Venerable St. Bede, and other Church Fathers. Chapter by chapter, Aquinas draws together the biblical reflections of these great historical figures to create a continuous commentary on the Book of Matthew. This eight volume set was commissioned by Pope Urban IV in hopes that it would bring the Church a deeper understand of the early Christian faith. Aquinas' commentaries are excellent resources for biblical study because they contain a wealth of valuable references.

Emmalon Davis
CCEL Staff Writer

Catena Aurea - Gospel of Matthew

Description: Catena Aurea, or "Golden Chain," is a unique style of biblical commentary comprised of fragments from other existing commentaries. Aquinas' Gospel of Matthew features the teachings of St. Augustine, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Ambrose, The Venerable St. Bede, and other Church Fathers. Chapter by chapter, Aquinas draws together the biblical reflections of these great historical figures to create a continuous commentary on the Book of Matthew. This eight volume set was commissioned by Pope Urban IV in hopes that it would bring the Church a deeper understand of the early Christian faith. Aquinas' commentaries are excellent resources for biblical study because they contain a wealth of valuable references.



Emmalon Davis

CCEL Staff Writer

Nature and Grace: Selections from the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas

Description: This selection from Aquinas' magnum opus, the Summa Theologica, covers the great Catholic philosopher's words on the nature of God, the nature of sin, and how God's grace sanctifies and transforms the lives of Christians. Concerning the nature of God, this selection includes Aquinas' arguments for God's existence, his description of God's metaphysical attributes, and his exploration of how God interacts with creation and the people who inhabit it. In the portion of the selection focusing on sin, Aquinas asks and answers the questions of what sin is and how it affects human beings. The selection's last portion presents Aquinas' thoughts on sin's remedy, God's grace. For those seeking Aquinas' insight on the topics here presented, this selection may prove a less cumbersome and more streamlined alternative to the entire Summa.

Kathleen O'Bannon
CCEL Staff

Of God and His Creatures

Description: This version of Aquinas’ Summa contra Gentiles contains the annotations of Joseph Rickaby, early 20th century Jesuit priest and philosopher, alongside the main text. Aquinas meant his treatise to serve as an apologetics handbook for missionaries and philosophers defending the Christian faith against those outside of or hostile to Christianity. The style and content of Aquinas’ arguments were particularly relevant to his time. The major religious communities in close proximity to the Christian West— Jewish and Islamic—had developed their various theological views using borrowed terms and ideas from Aristotelian philosophy just as Aquinas himself had. Readers have found Rickaby’s annotations helpful, as his comments strive to enrich the understanding of others rather than promote a particular philosophical agenda.

Kathleen O’Bannon
CCEL Staff

Summa Theologica ()

Description: Written from 1265-1274, the Summa Theologica is St. Thomas Aquinas' greatest work. Originally written for the "instruction of beginners," time has shown that all believers can come to learn from this enriching book. Organized systemically for the clearest way of "setting forth" the "sacred doctrine," Aquinas addresses many of Christianity's most pertinent questions in this multi-volume work. The First Part of the Summa begins with the existence and nature of God, before moving to creation and the nature of man. The Second Part contains his examination of morality and law; it also provides his account of the theological virtues, the cardinal virtues, and the seven deadly sins. The Third Part, uncompleted due to Aquinas' death, treats the incarnation and the sacraments. Taken together, the three parts compose one of the most impressive works of Christianity. Indeed, countless people from many centuries have studied and learned from the Summa; it has been widely influential from Aquinas' own day to the present. Hence, those with a passing inquiry or a serious question, an existential concern or a philosophical problem, can learn much from reading and studying St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica.

Tim Perrine
CCEL Staff Writer

Summa Theologica [HTML edition]