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Summa Contra Gentiles: Book One, God

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posted on 2017-07-19, 00:00 authored by Thomas Aquinas
The _Summa Contra Gentiles_ is not merely the only complete summary of Christian doctrine that St. Thomas has written, but also a creative and even revolutionary work of Christian apologetics composed at the precise moment when Christian thought needed to be intellectually creative in order to master and assimilate the intelligence and wisdom of the Greeks and the Arabs. In the _Summa_ Aquinas works to save and purify the thought of the Greeks and the Arabs in the higher light of Christian Revelation, confident that all that had been rational in the ancient philosophers and their followers would become more rational within Christianity.\u000a\u000aThis exposition and defense of divine truth has two main parts: the consideration of that truth that faith professes and reason investigates, and the consideration of the truth that faith professes and reason is not competent to investigate. The exposition of truths accessible to natural reason occupies Aquinas in the first three books of the _Summa_. His method is to bring forward demonstrative and probable arguments, some of which are drawn from the philosophers, to convince the skeptic. In the fourth book of the _Summa_ St. Thomas appeals to the authority of the Sacred Scripture for those divine truths that surpass the capacity of reason.\u000a\u000aThe present volume studies God's existence, nature, and substance, and especially his perfect actuality, the autonomy of his knowledge, the independence of his will, the perfection of his life, and the generosity of his love. Book 2 of the _Summa_ deals with Creation; Book 3, Providence; and Book 4, Salvation.\u000a\u000a\u00A9 University of Notre Dame\u000a\u000aCopyright for most content is held by The University of Notre Dame. Reproduction of all or any portion of content constitutes a violation of copyright. You must obtain permission from The Copyright Clearance Center or The University of Notre Dame Press in order to reprint (or adapt) content.\u000a\u000ap: (574) 631-6346 \ e: undpress@nd\.edu \ website: copyright\.com

History

Alt Title

Summa Contra Gentiles

Date Created

1975-05-01

Date Modified

2017-07-19

Alternate Identifier

9780268045524

Extent

320 pages

Library Record

000919381

Publisher

University of Notre Dame Press

Contributor

Anton C. Pegis, F.R.S.C.

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