Thomas Aquinas Popular Books
Thomas Aquinas Biography & Facts
Thomas Aquinas (, ə-KWY-nəs; Italian: Tommaso d'Aquino, lit. 'Thomas of Aquino'; c. 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest, an influential philosopher and theologian, and a jurist in the tradition of scholasticism from the county of Aquino in the Kingdom of Sicily. Thomas was a prominent proponent of natural theology and the father of a school of thought (encompassing both theology and philosophy) known as Thomism. He argued that God is the source of the light of natural reason and the light of faith. He embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle and attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity. He has been described as "the most influential thinker of the medieval period" and "the greatest of the medieval philosopher-theologians". According to the English philosopher Anthony Kenny, Thomas was "one of the greatest philosophers of the Western world". Thomas's best-known works are the unfinished Summa Theologica, or Summa Theologiae (1265–1274), the Disputed Questions on Truth (1256–1259) and the Summa contra Gentiles (1259–1265). His commentaries on Christian Scripture and on Aristotle also form an important part of his body of work. He is also notable for his Eucharistic hymns, which form a part of the Church's liturgy. As a Doctor of the Church, Thomas Aquinas is considered one of the Catholic Church's greatest theologians and philosophers. He is known in Catholic theology as the Doctor Angelicus ("Angelic Doctor", with the title "doctor" meaning "teacher"), and the Doctor Communis ("Universal Doctor"). In 1999, John Paul II added a new title to these traditional ones: Doctor Humanitatis ("Doctor of Humanity/Humaneness"). Biography Early life (1225–1244) Thomas Aquinas was most likely born in the family castle of Roccasecca, near Aquino, controlled at that time by the Kingdom of Sicily (in present-day Lazio, Italy), c. 1225. He was born to the most powerful branch of the family, and his father, Landulf of Aquino, was a man of means. As a knight in the service of Emperor Frederick II, Landulf of Aquino held the title miles. Thomas's mother, Theodora, belonged to the Rossi branch of the Neapolitan Caracciolo family. Landulf's brother Sinibald was abbot of Monte Cassino, the oldest Benedictine monastery. While the rest of the family's sons pursued military careers, the family intended for Thomas to follow his uncle into the abbacy; this would have been a normal career path for a younger son of Southern Italian nobility. At the age of five Thomas began his early education at Monte Cassino, but after the military conflict between Emperor Frederick II and Pope Gregory IX spilt into the abbey in early 1239, Landulf and Theodora had Thomas enrolled at the studium generale (university) established by Frederick in Naples. There, his teacher in arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music was Petrus de Ibernia. It was at this university that Thomas was presumably introduced to Aristotle, Averroes and Maimonides, all of whom would influence his theological philosophy. During his study at Naples, Thomas also came under the influence of John of St. Julian, a Dominican preacher in Naples, who was part of the active effort by the Dominican Order to recruit devout followers. At the age of nineteen, Thomas resolved to join the Dominican Order. His change of heart, however, did not please his family. In an attempt to prevent Theodora's interference in Thomas's choice, the Dominicans arranged to move Thomas to Rome, and from Rome, to Paris. However, while on his journey to Rome, per Theodora's instructions, his brothers seized him as he was drinking from a spring and took him back to his parents at the castle of Monte San Giovanni Campano. Thomas was held prisoner for almost one year in the family castles at Monte San Giovanni and Roccasecca in an attempt to prevent him from assuming the Dominican habit and to push him into renouncing his new aspiration. Political concerns prevented the Pope from ordering Thomas's release, which had the effect of extending Thomas's detention. Thomas passed this time of trial tutoring his sisters and communicating with members of the Dominican Order. Family members became desperate to dissuade Thomas, who remained determined to join the Dominicans. At one point, two of his brothers resorted to the measure of hiring a prostitute to seduce him, presumably because sexual temptation might dissuade him from a life of celibacy. According to the official records for his canonization, Thomas drove her away wielding a burning log—with which he inscribed a cross onto the wall—and fell into a mystical ecstasy; two angels appeared to him as he slept and said, "Behold, we gird thee by the command of God with the girdle of chastity, which henceforth will never be imperilled. What human strength can not obtain, is now bestowed upon thee as a celestial gift." From then onwards, Thomas was given the grace of perfect chastity by Christ, a girdle he wore till the end of his life. The girdle was given to the ancient monastery of Vercelli in Piedmont, and is now at Chieri, near Turin. By 1244, seeing that all her attempts to dissuade Thomas had failed, Theodora sought to save the family's dignity, arranging for Thomas to escape at night through his window. In her mind, a secret escape from detention was less damaging than an open surrender to the Dominicans. Thomas was sent first to Naples and then to Rome to meet Johannes von Wildeshausen, the Master General of the Dominican Order. Paris, Cologne, Albert Magnus, and first Paris regency (1245–1259) In 1245, Thomas was sent to study at the Faculty of the Arts at the University of Paris, where he most likely met Dominican scholar Albertus Magnus, then the holder of the Chair of Theology at the College of St. James in Paris. When Albertus was sent by his superiors to teach at the new studium generale at Cologne in 1248, Thomas followed him, declining Pope Innocent IV's offer to appoint him abbot of Monte Cassino as a Dominican. Albertus then appointed the reluctant Thomas magister studentium. Because Thomas was quiet and did not speak much, some of his fellow students thought he was slow. But Albertus prophetically exclaimed: "You call him the dumb ox [bos mutus], but in his teaching he will one day produce such a bellowing that it will be heard throughout the world". Thomas taught in Cologne as an apprentice professor (baccalaureus biblicus), instructing students on the books of the Old Testament and writing Expositio super Isaiam ad litteram (Literal Commentary on Isaiah), Postilla super Ieremiam (Commentary on Jeremiah), and Postilla super Threnos (Commentary on Lamentations). In 1252, he returned to Paris to study for a master's degree in theology. He lectured on the Bible as an apprentice professor, and upon becoming a baccalaureus Sententiarum (bachelor of the Sentences) he devoted his final three years of study to commenting on Peter Lombar.... Discover the Thomas Aquinas popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Thomas Aquinas books.
Best Seller Thomas Aquinas Books of 2024
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Introduction to the Spiritual Life
Brant PitreA compelling exploration of the biblical foundations, contemplative practices, and spiritual path of Jesus himselffrom the bestselling author of The Case for Jesus“What happens whe...
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Study Guide to The Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas
Intelligent EducationA comprehensive study guide offering indepth explanation, essay, and test prep for selected works by St. Thomas Aquinas, philosopher canonized by the Catholic Church. Titles in thi...
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Works of Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas5 works of Thomas Aquinas Italian Dominican priest (12251274) This ebook presents a collection of 5 works of Thomas Aquinas. A dynamic table of contents allows you to jump directly...
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The Tao of Thomas Aquinas
Matthew FoxA stunning Spiritual Handbook drawn from the substantive teachings of a mystical/prophetic genius offering a sublime roadmap for spirituality and action, this short book brings a w...
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Thomas Aquinas
Denys TurnerLeaving so few traces of himself behind, Thomas Aquinas seems to defy the efforts of the biographer. Highly visible as a public teacher, preacher, and theologian, he nevertheless h...
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Thomas Aquinas
John InglisThis volume contains the seminal articles that define the influence of Aquinas within legal philosophical thought. A comprehensive reference for those new to the field, it covers s...
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The Homilies of St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas5 Books in 1! This book comes complete with a TouchorClick Table of Contents, divided by each section. Enjoy a collection of Homilies written by Saint Thomas Aquinas! The c...
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St. Thomas Aquinas
G. K. ChestertonAcclaimed as the best book ever written on St. Thomas, this outstanding profile introduces one of Christianity's most important and influential thinkers. G. K. Chesterton chronicle...
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Thomas Aquinas on War and Peace
Gregory M. ReichbergInquiring 'whether any war can be just', Thomas Aquinas famously responded that this may hold true, provided the war is conducted by a legitimate authority, for a just cause, and w...
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Right And Reason
Rev. Fr. Austin FagotheyEthics both in theory and practice. Phrased in nontechnical language, Right and Reason is a thoroughly competent book in the philosophy of Ethics, which gives the science of morali...
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The Political Ideas of St. Thomas Aquinas
Thomas AquinasOriginally published in The Hafner Library of Classics in 1953, The Political Ideas of St. Thomas Aquinas provides important insights into the human side of one of the most influen...
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Thomas Aquinas
Nicholas HealyThe work of Thomas Aquinas (12241275) has become increasingly influential in recent doctrinal theology and theological ethics, aside from his extraordinary historical significance....
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Thomas Aquinas
K. Scott OliphintThomas Aquinas (1224?–1274) “The prince and master of all Scholastic doctors,” Thomas Aquinas has profoundly impacted thinkers both inside and outside the Roman Catholic Church for...
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Thomas Aquinas
Brian DaviesPart One: The History (What do we know?) This brief historical introduction to Aquinas assesses his impact on the world as it was at the time and outlines the key ideas and values ...
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The Catechetical Instructions of St Thomas Aquinas
David NicollThomas Aquinas is possibly the greatest of all the philosophers and theologians of the Catholic Church. His catechetical instructions are an ideal introduction to his thought, and...
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Aristotle for Everybody
Mortimer J. AdlerAdler instructs the world in the "uncommon common sense" of Aristotelian logic, presenting Aristotle's understandings in a current, delightfully lucid way.Aristotle (384 322 B.C.)...
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Thomas Aquinas and Teilhard de Chardin
Donald J. Goergen OPIn an increasingly divided and secularized world, in an age of unbelief, we yearn for increased unity, for a sense of the transcendent, for a humanism that does not force one to ch...
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St. Thomas Aquinas
G. K. ChestertonAccording to Chesterton, "once Christ had Risen, it was inevitable that Aristotle should rise again." St. Thomas Aquinas provided that marvelous synthesis, which could only streng...
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Sanctifying Truth
Romanus Cessario, O.P.Get to know Saint Thomas Aquinas and his search for truth! These insightful and accessible reflections explore the riches of thought known as Thomist theology in a way that makes t...
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Speaking of God in Thomas Aquinas and Meister Eckhart
Anastasia WendlinderMedieval masters Thomas Aquinas and Meister Eckhart considered problems inherent to speaking of God, exploring how religious language might compromise God's transcendence or God's ...
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Dangerous Mystic
Joel F. HarringtonLife and times of the 14th century German spiritual leader Meister Eckhart, whose theory of a personal path to the divine inspired thinkers from Jean Paul Sartre to Thomas Mer...
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Saint Thomas Aquinas
G. K. ChestertonThis is the original 1933 edition of G. K. Chesterton's study of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Chesterton's Saint Aquinas is a man of mystery. Born into a noble family, Aquinas chose the l...
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The Human Wisdom of St. Thomas
Josef PieperJosef Pieper has attached no commentary to the texts brought together in this breviary of the philosophy of St. Thomas, preferring that the reader should encounter them, “on his ow...
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A First Glance at St. Thomas Aquinas
Ralph McInernyThomism is solidly based on the assumption that we know the world first through our senses and then through concepts formed on the basis of our sense experience. In this informally...
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Advent and Christmas Wisdom From St. Thomas Aquinas
Andrew Carl Wisdom, OPThe holy seasons of Advent and Christmas are a time to reflect on God's infinite love for us all and how through the birth of his son, Jesus Christ, Christianity was born. Advent a...
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The Quiet Light
Louis de WohlThe famous novelist Louis de Wohl presents a stimulating historical novel about the great St. Thomas Aquinas, set against the violent background of the Italy of the Crusades. He te...
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Campfire Tales
Thomas MercaldoThe telling of a good campfire story can be the most enjoyable and memorable portion of your scouting adventure. Campfire Tales offers a collection of more than 30 campfire stories...
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Ethics
Gordon MarinoIn Ethics: The Essential Writings, philosopher Gordon Marino skillfully presents an accessible, provocative anthology of both ancient and modern classics on matters moral. The phil...
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Thomas Aquinas
Brian DaviesThe work of Thomas Aquinas has always enjoyed a privileged position as a pillar of Catholic theology, but for centuries his standing among western philosophers was less sure. Today...
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St. Thomas Aquinas
G.K. ChestertonG.K. Chesterton's brilliant sketch of the life and thought of St. Thomas Aquinas acclaimed as the best book ever written on the great thirteenthcentury Dominican by such outstandin...
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Thomas Aquinas
Vivian BolandThomas is an unusual saint. He spent most of his life teaching in universities and writing in his Friary, yet his thought has defined Catholic theology for almost eight hundred yea...
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St. Thomas Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy
D.J. KennedyIncludes Table of Contents Kennedy’s Thomas Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy is a wonderful history of the philosophy of the 13th Century, its influence on St. Thomas Aquinas, and v...
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12 Life Lessons from St. Thomas Aquinas
Kevin Vost, Psy. D.Here, Dr. Kevin Vost provides you with 12 essential life lessons, culled from the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Together these lessons will elevate your mind, enrich your spirit,...