Aquinas's Shorter Summa
SynopsisPlot
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.
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About this book
Thomas Aquinas, the thirteenth-century Dominican friar and theologian, produced one of the largest systematic works in Western philosophy and theology: the Summa Theologica. That text, running to thousands of pages, was structured as a series of questions and replies covering topics from the existence of God to ethics and human nature. Near the end of his life, Aquinas reportedly began a shorter companion work at the request of his assistant, Brother Reginald of Piperno. The aim was to present the core positions of Catholic theology in a form accessible to readers without advanced training in philosophy.
This condensed text covers central subjects of Christian doctrine, including the Trinity, Divine Providence, the Incarnation of Christ, and the Last Judgment. Aquinas organizes the material around the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, following the structure of the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments. The language is noticeably more direct than in the full Summa, and the arguments are compressed rather than expanded through the detailed objection-and-reply format found in the longer work.
Aquinas spent most of his working life in Italy and France, teaching at the University of Paris and at Dominican houses in Naples, Rome, and Orvieto. This shorter text remains one of the most concise entry points into his theological system.
