The Sentences Book 2: On Creation

The Sentences #2

by Peter Lombard, Giulio Silano (Translator)

This volume makes available for the first time in English full translations of Book 2 of the "Sentences." It consists of forty-four Distinctions and contains an introduction to Book 2, a list of the major chapter headings, and a bibliography.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Medieval, Catholic, Religion, Nonfiction, Christian

282 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1150

Reviews

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still have 50 pages left (but I write this review unapologetically, Scott).

Angels.

The Soul.

The will.

Sin.

The tree of life and babies in the garden of Eden?

Here are some of my favorite questions he answered, but there were hundreds more:

1. Why make rational creatures?
2. Are there different grains of essence
3. Do we have personal angels?
4. when did the poisonous animals begin?
5. did God finish the work on day 6 or day 7?
6. where was the soul made
7. was the soul made from something
8. was it so made in or outside the body
9. why didn't God create man and woman at the same time
10. why was Eve formed from Adam's side
11. what were human bodies like before the fall
12. could man suffer before the fall
13. was man mortal or immortal or both before the fall
14. would babies have been born full grown?
15. did Jesus have internal temptation?
16. why did God allow humans to be tempted knowing that they would fall?
17. does sin become more serious the longer it is in your mind
18. what is the will
19. are there kinds of Grace
20. which comes first Grace or merit?

Vocab words:
-empyrean
-artificer
-prurient

Quotes:
"Love, by which we love God and ourselves, is both our merit, and our reward"

"The garden is as it were the type of the present or future church"

Paraphrase: from Adam's side comes Eve, and from the side of Christ comes the church

"For God does not have mercy on someone because that person has willed and run, but he willed and ran because God had mercy on him."

"The Will goes with Grace and does not lead, going after it and not before."

"pay attention!"

Unresolved Question
- what did Lombard mean by sailors who were spouting oil from their mouths underwater to create light? (page 51)

Lombard's scholastic work could be no further from boring (contra McGrath).

A thrilling read for anyone brave enough to try.

B. Grizenko

[Jeremy Canipe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the second of four volumes of Peter Lombard's teaching text on the main topics covered in Western Europe's seminaries during the 11th century. It remains worth reading for students of historical theology due to its broad influence for over 200 years.

What struck me was twofold.

First, his focus was largely upon angels and human beings, perhaps owing to the interest in how God's will was displayed in the fall of a third of the angels and all human beings (and how they chose sin). Less was said about how people ought to relate to God and each other, and very little about the rest of creation.

Second, the already developed (and I would argue, erroneous) Catholic doctrines of the sacraments and sacramental grace and of venal versus mortal sins made their appearances.

Lombard does a commendable job as a teacher in helping his readers walk through the kinds of theological issues being considered his teaching at the University of Paris. He draws upon earlier Christian writers (most often Augustine) and seeks to address various heretical views, including the Pelagians among others. His careful teaching style is commendable, even when I as a Protestant of baptist and Reformed convictions believe he erred.

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The distinctions on the soul come in clutch

[Jonah Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good at times, really wacky and confusing at others. St. Thomas picked up some of his mud in the Summa and turned it into silver.