Suggestions on Aquinas?

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I’m just beginning my study of St. Thomas Aquinas’ thought. I didn’t want to dive into the Summa, so I started with Aquinas 101, by Francis Selman. Can anyone suggest other beginning level books on St. Thomas’ system of thought?

Thanks!
 
The Summa of the Summa, compiled by Peter Kreeft is pretty good.

Just out of curiosity, are you studying on your own or taking some sort of class?

If you are kind of new to philosophy, and even if you’re not that new, I would highly recommend buying *The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoric * by Sister Miriam Joseph. It lays out very important philosophical fundamentals with more clarity than I have ever seen. A lot of it is stuff that has largely been developed by Aquinas and others too.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
 
Many thanks to all! I’ve noted the titles you have provided.

I took a philosophy class (intro) over 25 years ago. The Trivium will soon be on my shelf!
 
Hi Kirk,

I highly recommend Norman Geisler’s Thomas Aquinas: An Evangelical Appraisal. He provides readers with an excellent introduction to the Angelic Doctor.
 
Why not also let St. Thomas himself be your teacher, even early on? 🙂
From southwellbooks.com/aquinas-catechism-the-1284-p.asp (amazon.com probably a better place to buy it)
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The Aquinas Catechism
St. Thomas Aquinas
A clear, easy-to-read and very thorough catechism for laymen and women, based on a series of Lenten sermons delivered by St. Thomas Aquinas in his final year (1273) in the Church of San Domenico in Naples. “Almost the whole population of Naples went to hear his sermons every day,” an eye-witness tells us.
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Those fearing that this might be a weighty, academic tome can set their minds at rest. St. Thomas was aiming his words on these occasions at the ordinary person in the pew.
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The publisher describes it as “a simple explanation of the Catholic Faith by the Church’s greatest theologian”. That sums it up. It is ideal for any layman wishing to brush up his knowledge of the Faith, or expand his knowledge and understanding of the Church’s teaching (everyone will learn something new from reading this catechism). It is also ideal as a handy reference when you are stuck for an answer a non-Catholic friend has asked.
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It is arranged into the following sections: the Apostles’ Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Ten Commandments, and the Sacraments. Each section is then divided into sub-sections, dealing with each phrase of the Creed, the Our Father, the individual Sacrament, etc. St. Thomas not only explains what the Church teaches, but why it teaches it, and reference is always made to the appropriate passage from Scripture (Biblical quotations use the Douay-Rheims translation).
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A delightful yet powerful biography of St. Thomas is “The Dumb Ox” by G.K. Chesterton. You’ve probably read it; if not, you should.
 
Back in college, I wrote my undergraduate essay on “Elements of Democracy in the Political Thought of St. Thomas Aquinas.” I traveled around - that was well before the internet - doing research.in various college libraries. I remember how I would have to get special permission from a priest to use certain books that had been ‘caged’ - books by great authors who had been declared heretical or otherwise condemned by the church at that time.
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St. Thomas was amazing in many ways. He was so well-organized and his mind obviously was nimble. What a prolific writer!

 But when I stumbled upon one section I found my view of Aquinas severely dimnished. It was his suggestion for dealing with heretics. They should be delivered to the civil authorities, he said, and put to death. Heresy, he went on, was worse than most crimes as it led to eternal damnation, which could in fact be worse than murder. A murderer might get to heaven but noit a heretic. So anyone promoting heresy should be executed.

  So, was Aquinas right or wrong on this matter? I guess I've given my opinion already. I feel badly that I see him through the prism of his recommendation for handling heresy, and my earlier admiration quite quickly diminished.

  God bless the whole world, Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants - and, yes, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and all of God's children, whatever their religion, race, nation or other circumstance (usually something they were born into).
 
Even if you are not ready to dive in the Summa, I would suggest taking at least a sip and reading the first question of the Summa. It is important to become familiar with the structure of a Thomistic question and get a sense for how he does things.
 
Brian Davies’ books on Aquinas are also excellent. Two come to mind: The Thought of Thomas Aquinas - detailed and clear, and Aquinas - which is more of an overview and therefore much more brief.
 
Roy5 said:
But when I stumbled upon one section I found my view of Aquinas severely dimnished. It was his suggestion for dealing with heretics. They should be delivered to the civil authorities, he said, and put to death. Heresy, he went on, was worse than most crimes as it led to eternal damnation, which could in fact be worse than murder. A murderer might get to heaven but noit a heretic. So anyone promoting heresy should be executed.
.
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Sadly, he wasn’t perfect.😦
 
Fran65 said:
Brian Davies’ books on Aquinas are also excellent. Two come to mind: The Thought of Thomas Aquinas - detailed and clear, and Aquinas - which is more of an overview and therefore much more brief.
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I don’t know why, but he upsets me when i read his works in the area of philosophy of religion. But thats just me.
 
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