Works by St. Thomas Aquinas
- 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]
