Biography
Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was an Italian Dominican friar, and he is one of the most famous philosophers and theologians in the Catholic Church tradition. Aquinas worked to reconcile ancient Greek philosophers, namely Aristotle, with Church doctrine. He believed God's existence could be proven through the use of logic and reason. To this day, the Church promotes St. Aquinas as the ultimate model for aspiring priests.
Influential Works
Summa Theologica by Publication Date: 2007The Summa Theologica is the best-known work of Italian philosopher, scholar, and Dominican friar Saint Thomas Aquinas, widely considered the Catholic Church's greatest theologian. Famously consulted (immediately after the Bible) on religious questions at the Council of Trent, Aquinas's masterpiece has been considered a summary of official Church philosophy ever since. Aquinas considers approximately 10,000 questions on Church doctrine covering the roles and nature of God, man, and Jesus, then lays out objections to Church teachings and systematically confronts each, using Biblical verses, theologians, and philosophers to bolster his arguments.
On Evil by Publication Date: 2003The De Malo represents some of Aquinas' most mature thinking on goodness, badness, and human agency. In it he examines the full range of questions associated with evil: its origin, its nature, its relation to good, and its compatibility with the existence of an omnipotent, benevolent God. Thisedition offers Regan's new, clear readable English translation, based on the Leonine Commission's authoritative edition of the Latin text. Davies has provided an extensive introduction and notes.
