Throughout the Summa, Aquinas cites Christian, Muslim, Hebrew, and Pagan sources, including, but not limited to: Christian Sacred Scripture, Aristotle, Augustine of Hippo, Avicenna, Averroes, Al-Ghazali, Boethius, John of Damascus, Paul the Apostle, Pseudo-Dionysius, Maimonides, Anselm of Canterbury, Plato, Cicero, and John Scotus Eriugena. Presenting the reasoning for almost all points of Christian theology in the West, topics of the Summa follow the following cycle: God Creation, Man Man's purpose Christ the Sacraments and back to God.Īlthough unfinished, it is 'one of the classics of the history of philosophy and one of the most influential works of Western literature.' It remains Aquinas' 'most perfect work, the fruit of his mature years, in which the thought of his whole life is condensed'. It is a compendium of all of the main theological teachings of the Catholic Church, intended to be an instructional guide for theology students, including seminarians and the literate laity. 'Summary of Theology'), often referred to simply as the Summa, is the best-known work of Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), a scholastic theologian and Doctor of the Church. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.The Summa Theologiae or Summa Theologica ( transl.

Martyn Swain brings clarity and experience to this final segment of Aquinas’ magnum opus. The translation is by Father Laurence Shapcote of the Dominican Order. The Supplement closes with two Appendices largely addressing the subject of Purgatory. Other general topics covered are Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, Matrimony and the Resurrection.

It opens with a continuation of the section on Penance, left unfinished on the death of Aquinas. Fra Rainaldo drew on an earlier work by Aquinas, the Commentary on the Fourth Book of the Sentences of Peter Lombard, to produce the Supplement to the Third Part, in which a further 99 Questions are dealt with. However, the overall scheme was brought to a conclusion by Fra Rainaldo da Piperno (c1230-c1290), a life-long friend and associate of Aquinas. Drawing on a wide range of Christian sources - and, controversially, on Greek and Latin philosophers as well as Arabian commentators - he sought to explicate matters of doctrine through a specific scheme of Question, Article, Objection, Answer and Reply.īefore his death, Aquinas completed the first 90 Questions of the Third Part. Thomas Aquinas (c1225-1274) died before he could complete his ambitious plan for Summa Theologica, described as ‘a systematic compendium’ of Roman Catholic theology.

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