Aquinas's Shorter Summa - St. Thomas's Own Concise Version of His Summa Theologica

 Our Description

The essentials of Catholic doctrine 
— clearly and succinctly presented

 

Two years before he died, St. Thomas Aquinas — probably the greatest teacher the Church has ever known — was asked by his assistant, Brother Reginald, to write a simple summary of the Faith of the Catholic Church for those who lacked the time or the stamina to tackle his massive Summa Theologica.

In response, the great saint quickly set down — in language that non-scholars can understand — his peerless insights into the major topics of theology: the Trinity, Divine Providence, the Incarnation of Christ, the Last Judgment, and much more.

Here, then, is not only St. Thomas’s concise statement of the key elements of his thought, but a handy reference source for the essential truths of the Catholic Faith.

"A gem, a precious pearl, a masterpiece!”
Peter Kreeft
Fundamentals of the Faith

“Thomas Aquinas at his clearest and best.
A treasure.”
Ralph McInerny
First Glance at Thomas Aquinas

“An invaluable introduction to 
St. Thomas’s wisdom and insight.”
Edward Cardinal Egan
Archbishop of New York

St. Thomas will show you:

• Why faith is reasonable, not blind
• Why evil can never be as powerful as good
• Solid arguments for Christ’s Resurrection
• Powerful arguments for God’s existence
• Why angels are necessary in creation
• How Adam’s sin differed from Eve’s
• Why Jesus descended into Hell
• Why we must suffer for Adam’s sin
• Why the truths that you can know
  only through Revelation are nevertheless rational
• Startling details about God’s forgiveness
• Facts about the punishment of the damned: 
  both spiritual and bodily
• How a soul’s damnation can be 
  compatible with God’s goodness
• What Christians should think 
  about “fate” and “chance”
• What life after resurrection will be like
• Three ways in which God is in all things
• Eternal life: what it is; how to understand it
• How you can know God through reason
• Hell-fire: whether it’s real or symbolic
• Why God became man
• Why God allows evil
• How Jesus “grew in wisdom”
• How Christ can have existed for all eternity 
  and yet be God’s Son
• The Beatific Vision: what it really is
• Why God’s knowledge of the future 
  doesn’t deny man’s free will
• How the Holy Trinity is three 
  distinct Persons, yet one God
• Much more that will help you know 
  and love God with greater understanding!

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St. Thomas Aquinas

Feast Day: Roman Rite Calendar - 01/28 Patron Of: Against Lightning, Against Storms, Apologists, Booksellers, Catholic Universities, Chastity, Clear Weather, Pencil Makers, Philosophers, Publishers, Scholars, Schools, Students, Theologians, Universities Also known as Angelic Doctor; Doctor Angelicus; Doctor Communis; Great Synthesizer; The Dumb Ox; The Universal Teacher Profile     Son of the Count of Aquino, born in the family castle in Lombardy near Naples. Educated by Benedictine monks at Monte Cassino, and at the University of Naples. He secretly joined the mendicant Dominican friars in 1244. His noble family kidnapped and imprisoned him for a year to keep him out of sight, and deprogram him, but he rejoined his order in 1245.     He studied in Paris from 1245-1248 under Saint Albert the Great, then accompanied Albertus to Cologne. Ordained in 1250, then returned to Paris to teach. Taught theology at University of Paris. He wrote defenses of the mendicant orders, commentaries on Aristotle and Lombard's Sentences, and some bible-related works, usually by dictating to secretaries. He won his doctorate, and taught in several Italian cities. Recalled by king and university to Paris in 1269, then recalled to Naples in 1272 where he was appointed regent of studies while working on the Summa Theologica.     On 6 December 1273 he experienced a divine revelation which so enraptured him that he abandoned the Summa, saying that it and his other writing were so much straw in the wind compared to the reality of the divine glory. He died four months later while en route to the Council of Lyons, overweight and with his health broken by overwork.     His works have been seminal to the thinking of the Church ever since. They systematized her great thoughts and teaching, and combined Greek wisdom and scholarship methods with the truth of Christianity. Pope Leo VIII commanded that his teachings be studied by all theology students. He was proclaimed Doctor of the Church in 1567. Born     c.1225 at Roccasecca, Aquino, Naples, Italy Died     7 March 1274 at Fossanuova near Terracina of apparent natural causes; relics interred at Saint-Servin, Toulouse, France; relics translated to the Church of the Jacobins, Toulouse on 22 October 1974 Canonized     1323 All information used with permission of the Patron Saint Index.

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