A Companion to the Summa, Vol 1: The Architect of the Universe

by Walter Farrell

A companion to the Summa.

Genres: Theology, Catholic, Philosophy

Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Father Walter Farrell OP., STD., STM., was a prominent Moral Theologian of the Dominican Central Province.

He was editor of the "Dominicana" during his time as a Student Brother at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC. He later joined the Province of St. Albert the Great after its foundation in 1939. He helped to launch "The Thomist", a quarterly speculative review, in April 1939.

Father Farrell passed away at River Forest, Illinois, at the age of 49.

Reviews

[Warren Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas Aquinas' "Summa Theologica" is perhaps one of the most ambitious literary works in the field of theology and metaphysics. The Summa was written as a comprehensive study of Christian thought and philosophy for theology students. In the 20th Century, Walter Farrell was swept up by that ambition to expound on the ideas of The Summa in an accessible way for modern readers. Did he succeed?

In some ways yes, but it took him four volumes in which to do it, and the language he uses still presupposes some understanding of metaphysical concepts and a knowledge of some of the major movements in modern philosophy. These four "companions" to the Summa are certainly not for everyone, even those with an interest in Christian ideology, but if you take time to digest Farrell's analysis, you just may come away with a deeper appreciation for the gift of life.

This review is of the first book of the series, which deals primarily with the nature of God, angels, and human beings, as well as the relationship between the three. What kinds of things can you expect from such a work?

Well, for example, angels have no imagination. Their knowledge is perfect, therefore they do not find joy in things like books or new experiences. They do not have foreknowledge of future events, but their knowledge is perfect in the sense that they enjoy "complete freedom from the impediments of ignorance and passion."

Now, Aquinas and Farrell are only guessing about stuff like this, and Farrell admits it. When he talks about angelic thought as being free from passion, he carefully points out the story of the fallen angels who were led in a rebellion against God by Lucifer, so that clearly angels are capable of sin. But these ideas come to us from various stories over the centuries. Even the name "Lucifer" may not have originally been meant as the moniker for an angelic entity, as it does not appear until the Latin Vulgate of the Book of Isaiah in reference to "the morning star." The behavior of the planet Venus has often been poetically anthropomorphized in myth and epic. Perhaps, as some scholars suggest, Isaiah was trolling Nebuchadnezzar II, calling him "the morning star" destined to fall because of his captivity of the Jews, and his words became lost in translation, eventually giving birth to a name synonymous with Satan. But in the end, this is only a guess as well.

Farrell's Thomistic explanations are therefore not meant as proofs of Christian theology, but are powerful reminders of what can be learned about ourselves and our world through these concepts. He believes that within the myths are realities that are difficult for our feeble minds to comprehend. It is thanks to philosophers who keep up with advances in science and history that can put together the pieces of the puzzle left behind thousands of years ago for modern minds, giving new perspectives into some smattering of the truth of our existence.

This volume concludes with an encouragement to never stop learning about ourselves, because the more we learn, the more inescapable the truth that our lives and our love are not just biological accidents. All of our efforts to survive and even to be better people are not in vain. As Farrell says, "our name is one to be kept honorable; for, like the angels, we must live with that name forever."

So though this book can be a heavy read, I do recommend it for those 1) interested in the varieties of religious experience, including Christian thought 2) interested in a more digested version of the concepts contained in the massive Summa 3) interested in metaphysics and logic and 4) needing an injection of inspiration and hope in a society that sometimes seems a bit too selfish and nihilistic.

[Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

For philosophers and theologians who are interested in understanding Aquinas's "Summa Theologica", it is essential that a good commentary is available. In English, one of the best commentaries on the Summa is the "Companion to the Summa", a four volume work written in the 1930s by Walter Farrell, a Dominican priest and Aquinas scholar. Many of the best scholars of medieval philosophy have written commentaries on the Summa, and these commentaries range from the ambiguous to the overly technical. The "Companion" strikes a happy medium between these two extremes.

Farrell is a very readable commentator, and he has geared this commentary toward lay Catholics who want to learn from Aquinas how to grow in their faith. In this volume, Farrell tackles Book 1 of the Summa, which deals with the existence of God and the importance of theology. This is hardly the easiest of topics to explain to the lay Catholic. Despite this, Farrell does a very good job of it. His prose is very readable, almost poetic in some places. He delves into the arguments of Aquinas in a way that most people can understand. His ability to relate Aquinas to the modern world is particularly great. While reading this volume will not make the reader an expert on Aquinas or the Summa, it makes the thought of Aquinas much more accessible.

I would highly recommend this volume to anyone who is interested in better understanding the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas.