Thomas Aquinas on God and Evil

by Brian Davies

Brian Davies offers the first in-depth study of Saint Thomas Aquinas's thoughts on God and evil, revealing that Aquinas's thinking about God and evil can be traced through his metaphysical philosophy, his thoughts on God and creation, and his writings about Christian revelation and the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation.

Davies first gives an introduction to Aquinas's philosophical theology, as well as a nuanced analysis of the ways in which Aquinas's writings have been considered over time. For hundreds of years scholars have argued that Aquinas's views on God and evil were original and different from those of his contemporaries. Davies shows that Aquinas's views were by modern standards very original, but that in their historical context they were more traditional than many scholars since have realized.

Davies also provides insight into what we can learn from Aquinas's philosophy. Thomas Aquinas on God and Evil is a clear and engaging guide for anyone who struggles with the relation of God and theology to the problem of evil.

Genres: Philosophy, Theology, Christianity, Catholic

192 pages, Paperback

First published July 27, 2011

About the author

Brian Davies is a Dominican friar and Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University, New York. He has published extensively on the thought of St Thomas Aquinas.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning book. It is proof for me that not only was Plato right that one should study philosophy after one is 50, but for me after 80. It may have been as formative a book for me as Philip Rieff's book The Triumph of the Therapeutic which I read in1966.

Prof. Davies says that of course there is a problem of evil. Humanity lives it every day. It is obvious. But if you take Aquinas' assumptions on nature and creation, then there is not a "philosophical" or theological problem of evil. It is a problem only for those who do not want God exist or for those who try to make God a moral actor set in time.

God is really infinite and beyond us. Personally, I think the real problem is why God would create at all. And that is a religious question -- in Christian faith, the Father and Son and Spirit sharing their life with us .. out of love ...

I have started to voice this in preaching, that if God is going to make creatures like us, in time, material, temporal, then he could not make us without the possibility of suffering. I think Prof. Davies is saying this.

Davies is also very good on giving a solid distinction between philosophy and theology and weaving that into his explanation of what he is about.

[Lyndon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cogent account of Thomas and his account of God and evil. Davies remains one of the best and coherent readers of Thomas, and this volume reflects his clear thinking and writing.

[Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential read for a nincompoop like myself, who has little knowledge of the beautiful logical relations of creaturely reason of the God of pure existence/divine simplicity. Much to learn here, if atleast to recognize what distance we stand as modern people from one of our greatest theological giants and a great, and perhaps less dark than we typically imagine, age.