Albert and Thomas: Selected Writings (Classics of Western Spirituality

The Classics of Western Spirituality

by Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, Simon Tugwell (Editor)

"...a milestone in American religious publishing." New Catholic World In one series, the original writings of the universally acknowledged teachers of the Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Islamic and Native American traditions have been critically selected, translated and introduced by internationally recognized scholars and spiritual leaders. ALBERT AND THOMAS-SELECTED WRITINGS translated, edited, and introduced by Simon Tugwell, O.P. preface by Leonard E. Boyle, OP "He who is the preeminent cause of all that the mind understands is not any of the objects of our understanding." Albert the Great (1200–1280) This volume contains writings by two thirteenth-century Dominicans, both canonized saints, both doctors of the Saint Albert the Great, patron saint of natural scientist, and the "common doctor," Saint Thomas Aquinas. Both are famous for their contributions to philosophy and theology, but they are also, in different ways, both important in the history of spirituality. In particular, Saint Thomas' huge common sense gives his message an abiding value which can be appreciated by ordinary Christians, trying to practice their faith, as well as by people who are concerned with more sophisticated attempts to articulate and understand their religion. The editor of the volume, Simon Tugwell, OP, has supplied a full biographical introduction to each of the two saints, and an introduction to relevant aspects of their thought, so that this book serves as a real invitation to those who are unfamiliar with them, as well as making a contribution to the scholarly study of their lives and works. †

Genres: Theology, Christianity, Spirituality

672 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

born in perhaps 1206

German religious philosopher Saint Albertus Magnus, originally Albert, count von Bollstadt, and also noted as the teacher of Saint Thomas Aquinas, sought to apply methods of Aristotle to current scientific questions.

Also known as Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, this member of the Catholic order of preachers (Dominicans) served as friar and from 1260 to 1262 as bishop of Regensburg. During his lifetime, people knew him as doctor universalis and doctor expertus and later appended the term magnus ("the great") to his name. Scholars, such as James Athanasius Weisheipl and Joachim Roland Söder, referred to this greatest theologian of the Middle Ages. The Church honors him among its 35 doctors.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albertu...

Reviews

[Mesoscope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read the first portion of this book dealing with Albert Magnus. Tugwell does a very fine job providing historical, biographical, and critical information about the author in a long introduction, and then offers a translation of Albert's commentary to the "Mystical Theology" of Pseudo-Dionysius.

Tugwell's treatment was generally excellent, though I did wonder at the single-mindedness of his analysis of the Pseudo-Dionysian basis of Albert's thought, and would have benefited from a broader analysis of his context and influences. This is especially so because Albert's commentary on "Mystical Theology" struck me as largely an attempt to reconcile it with more conventional theistic views, perhaps especially a kind of Augustinian Neoplatonism.

As for Albert himself, he emerges as a fascinating figure, though his work is subject to all the typical liabilities of scholasticism and its excessive formalism. I found his treatment of Pseudo-Dionysius curiously unedifying with regards to the work itself, though an interesting expression of the thought of its author. Albert tends to try to rationalize and "de-mystify" Pseudo-Dionysius' work by re-presenting his often-provocatively-paradoxical statements as though, if read rightly, they resolve into statements that more harmoniously agree. I was rather strongly reminded of many scholastic Tibetan interpretations of Madhyamaka which operate in much the same way, such as Tsong Khapa's commentary on Nagarjuna's Fundamental Wisdom treatise.

Clearly Pseudo-Dionysius' use of logical tension, contradiction, and aporia were devices used to convey something important about the object of his contemplation, and I do not think that schematizing it into a more coherent set of statements amplifies or clarifies its meaning. One is, I think, not to de-fang the dragon.

[Paul Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read as a great selection of the writings of Sts. Albert and Aquinas on the basic tenets of Western theology. The editor, Fr. Tugwell, O.P., writes such insightful footnotes that they alone make the book worth a read.

The sections by Aquinas have excerpts from many non-Summa works and commentaries, which is nice, as they show Aquinas in his prime role as an exegete of Scripture over what many usually think of him as solely an Aristotelian scholar. While I didn't pay too much attention to the introductory biographies of each Saint, I appreciated how the bio of Albert discusses how the reemergence of Greek writings in Southern Italy influenced his negative theology. The only thing I would suggest is that, for those who want to be really deep in the theological weeds as you read this, maybe read Pseudo-Dionysius' Mystical Theology before reading Albert's commentary.

[Mark Glidden · Rating 1 out of 5]

A good introduction to St Albertus Magnus and St Thomas Aquinas, two giants of Medieval Scholasticism and Western philosophy (not to mention Doctors of the Church). Only critique is that not enough weight was given to St Albertus, in contrast to the good deal of work presented from Aquinas. Considering that St Albertus is relatively unknown outside of Christian and philosophical circles, as well as his writings being mostly out of print, it would have been nice to read a bit more of his work, especially since he was Aquinas' mentor and teacher.

[David Hirt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish it. Too dry.