Summa Theologica: First Part of the Second Part

Summa Theologica. Vol. 2. First Part of the Second Part. Complete in 6 volumes. St. Thomas Aquinas (ca. 1225-1274) began writing his great Summa Theologica (or Summa Theologiae) in 1266 AD. In his writing, Aquinas adapted the philosophy of Aristotle to the needs of the 13th century and its theology. The title, Summa Theologica means the Summary or Totality of Theology. Within this Summary, Aquinas lays out the key aspects of Christian theology such as the "Five Ways" (Aquinas's arguments for the existence of God); the divinity of Christ; the relation between reason and faith; and the principle of analogy. The last item offers a theological foundation for the idea knowing God through the nature of His creation. Aquinas's Summa Theologica ranks among the greatest documents of the Christian Church, and is a landmark of medieval western thought. It provides the framework for Catholic studies in systematic theology and for a classical Christian philosophy, and is regularly consulted by scholars of all faiths and none, across a range of academic disciplines. Aquinas himself modestly considered it simply a manual of Christian doctrine for the use of students. In reality it is a masterfully arranged exposition of theology and at the same time a detailed synthesis of Aristotelianism into a revised statement of Christian philosophy. Summa Theologica--Complete in 6 volumes. Viewforth Great Books Series. Craig Paterson, PhD, General Editor.