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

by Thomas Aquinas, A.M. Fairweather (Translator)

Nature and Grace Selections from the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Classics, School, Nonfiction, Christianity, Religion

386 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican friar and theologian of Italy and the most influential thinker of the medieval period, combined doctrine of Aristotle and elements of Neoplatonism, a system that Plotinus and his successors developed and based on that of Plato, within a context of Christian thought; his works include the Summa contra gentiles (1259-1264) and the Summa theologiae or theologica (1266-1273).

Saint Albertus Magnus taught Saint Thomas Aquinas.

People ably note this priest, sometimes styled of Aquin or Aquino, as a scholastic. The Roman Catholic tradition honors him as a "doctor of the Church."

Aquinas lived at a critical juncture of western culture when the arrival of the Aristotelian corpus in Latin translation reopened the question of the relation between faith and reason, calling into question the modus vivendi that obtained for centuries. This crisis flared just as people founded universities. Thomas after early studies at Montecassino moved to the University of Naples, where he met members of the new Dominican order. At Naples too, Thomas first extended contact with the new learning. He joined the Dominican order and then went north to study with Albertus Magnus, author of a paraphrase of the Aristotelian corpus. Thomas completed his studies at the University of Paris, formed out the monastic schools on the left bank and the cathedral school at Notre Dame. In two stints as a regent master, Thomas defended the mendicant orders and of greater historical importance countered both the interpretations of Averroës of Aristotle and the Franciscan tendency to reject Greek philosophy. The result, a new modus vivendi between faith and philosophy, survived until the rise of the new physics. The Catholic Church over the centuries regularly and consistently reaffirmed the central importance of work of Thomas for understanding its teachings concerning the Christian revelation, and his close textual commentaries on Aristotle represent a cultural resource, now receiving increased recognition.

Reviews

[Logan Prettyman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. I lack scholastic precision, so I always benefit from reading such systematic thinkers (though they’re dull, dull, dull!). Thomas is no totally retrievable, yet I think he can be of great usefulness to our churches. I might recommend that most pastors have the summa in their library, certainly more so than Grudem!

[Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps my favorite theologian I've read so far.

[Lucy Samuelsen]

Sections of Nature and Grace: April 16, 2013

[Tyler Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only read q1-4, q20, & q109-114 for great books program, but it would be an understatement to say it changed the way I think. Excellent articulation of the power of grace and what it enables in the Christian life. He is NOT teaching merit apart from Christ.

As an aside the Calvinist may be quite surprised to see how similar Aquinas can sound in the section on Predestination, though he doesn’t go as far imo.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of gems but a little dry at times.

[Joshua Polanski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure how you can have an intro text to the Summa, include "Grace" in the title, and not get to Aquinas' treatise on the sacraments?