Books by Dave Armstrong: The Quotable Aquinas

Painting by Carlo Crivelli (c. 1435 - c. 1495)
[in progress; just beginning to collect quotations, as of 9 January 2013]

Introduction
 

My emphasis will (as usual in my collections) again focus overwhelmingly on theology, and relatively little on spirituality, devotional literature, philosophy, morality and ethics, liturgy, etc. This narrows the subject matter considerably, yet with a saintly genius like St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274): without question the greatest theologian in the history of the Church, and one of the most profound thinkers, there still remains a massive treasure-trove to delve into.Like my other quotations books, this will be drawn from all public domain sources. The goal herein is to make the theological work of the Angelic Doctor more accessible and able to be referenced quickly. Many times, frankly, I have been too lazy, myself, to “barrel through” the Summa Theologica to find an answer as to what St. Thomas thought on thus-and-so. Sometimes even those of us who love Aquinas, have neither the time nor desire (in the course of a busy day) to read through the reasoning chain that he uses to come to his conclusions. His usual style is a wonderful method and fabulous teaching device, but I think there are a lot of people like me who would like to see concise, easily obtainable “answers” from Aquinas: in a more or less “catechetical” format (rather than apologetic or philosophical: with more elaborate explanations). I hope you, the reader, will benefit from my true labor of love. I’ve immensely enjoyed learning from this great teaching, as I compiled the “quotable” excerpts. May this work be used by God to send further grace upon many, via St. Thomas Aquinas.

Bibliography and Abbreviations

[all works are in the public domain]


BT The Trinity and the Unicity of the Intellect(chapters 1-4 of Commentary on Boethius’‘The Trinity’), translated by Sister Rose Emmanuella Brennan, S. H. N. (St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1946)  

CI  Catechetical Instructions, translated by Rev. Joseph B. Collins (New York: J. F. Wagner, 1939).


CT Compendium of Theology, translated by Cyril Vollert, S. J. (St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1947)

H Ninety-Nine Homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas Upon the Epistles and Gospels, translated by John M. Ashley (London: Church Press Co. Ltd., 1867)
M Meditations of St. Thomas Aquinas, translated by E. C. McEniry from the 1905 Latin edition of P. D. Mezard (Somerset, Ohio: The Rosary Press, 1938). 



PG On the Power of God, translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province (London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., 3 volumes, 1932–34). SG Summa Contra Gentiles(Treatise on the Truth of the Catholic Faith Against Unbelievers) (1258-1263), literally translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province from the latest Leonine edition (London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., 1924).  

ST Summa Theologica (1271-1274), literally translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province; second revised edition (New York: Benziger Brothers, 1947).



Abbreviations used for the Summa Theologica:
The first part (prima pars): 1
The first part of the second part (prima secundae partis): 1-2
The second part of the second part (secunda secundae partis): 2-2
The third part (tertia pars): 3
The supplement (supplementum tertiae partis): suppl.   Examples:
ST 1, q. 3, a. 2c = First part, Question 3, Article 2, corpus: i.e., Thomas’ solution in the body of the article.
ST 2-2, q. 75, a. 1, ad 3 = Second part of the second part, Question 75, Article 1, reply to third objection.


ST 3, q. 10, a. 3, sed contra = Third part, Question 10, Article 3, argument in opposition to objection(s): “on the contrary . . .”
ST suppl., q. 17, a. 3, ad 2 = Supplement, Question 17, Article 3, reply to second objection.
 
Excerpts[soon to come]
* * * * *