St. Thomas Aquinas

by Ralph McInerny

St. Thomas Aquinas enables the reader to appreciate both Thomas's continuity with earlier thought and his creative independence. After a useful account of the life and work of St. Thomas, McInerny shows how the thoughts of Aristotle, Boethius, and Augustine and Pseudo-Dionysius were assimilated into the personal wisdom of St. Thomas. He also offers a helpful study of the distinctive features of Aquinas's Christian theology.

Genres: Theology, Catholic, Philosophy

200 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 1989

About the author

Ralph Matthew McInerny was an American Catholic religious scholar and fiction writer, including mysteries and science fiction. Some of his fiction has appeared under the pseudonyms of Harry Austin, Matthew FitzRalph, Ernan Mackey, Edward Mackin, and Monica Quill. As a mystery writer he is best known as the creator of Father Dowling. He was Professor of Philosophy, Director of the Jacques Maritain Center, and Michael P. Grace Professor of Medieval Studies at the University of Notre Dame until his retirement in June 2009. He died of esophageal cancer on January 29, 2010.

Reviews

[Joseph R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a brief biographical survey, Ralph McInerny presents an overview of Thomas Aquinas's philosophical ideas. Thomas was a Dominican living in the 1200s. The great philosophical revolution of the age was the reintroduction of Aristotle's works to Europe. The writings had survived in Muslim countries and came back west with their conquests around the Mediterranean Sea. Aristotle was controversial because many university teachers took his writings as gospel even to the point of contradicting the Gospel. Thomas made a careful analysis of Aristotle's works and showed ways it was and was not compatible with Christian theology. He used Aristotle to clarify his own understanding of God.

The book also describes Thomas's anaylsis of Boethius, a sixth-century Christian philosopher, and Platonism. McInerny gives a fine overview of those philosophies and how Thomas critiqued them. The book finishes with a deep analysis of Thomas's ideas around knowledge, belief, and faith, especially as they relate to things knowable through plain reason (e.g. the existence of God) and those knowable only through revelation (e.g. that God is three Persons in one Being).

The book is not very long (under 200 pages) so it is not completely comprehensive. It does present main points and develops them in some depth. I don't think I would recommend this as an introduction to Thomas and his thought, since it is often technical and does assume some familiarity or experience with philosophical concepts. I enjoyed it and found the final analysis very rewarding.

Recommended, especially for those "in the know."

[Dave Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ralph McInerny’s “St. Thomas Aquinas” presents an overview of Thomas' philosophical ideas, from a Catholic perspective. The author writes lucidly, concisely and is respectful toward Thomas’ project. Thomas, a Dominican priest, was born in Rocca Secca in 1225. The philosophical revolution of his age was initiated by the Muslim introduction of Aristotle's works to Europe, and the incipient reaction at European schools and abbeys.

The writings of Aristotle were controversial, calling into question the relationship between speculative science and Christian belief. The University of Paris, where Thomas studied and taught for seven years, was a veritable philosophical battle ground. A number of university teachers fell under the influence of Averroes, whose writings contradicted the Gospel. Thomas made a careful analysis of Aristotle's works and explained ways it was compatible with Christian theology. McInerny’s method of explication is Thomistic, insofar as comments directly on Thomas’ text in a systematic dialogue, and eschews simplistic saws; such as the familiar, Thomas baptized Aristotle.

The author also describes Thomas's analysis of Boethius, a sixth-century Christian philosopher, as well as the influence of Plato. McInerny’s overview of those philosophies is brief, but cogent. The book concludes with a deep discussion of Thomas' thought about knowledge, belief, and faith, and " the tasks of theology.”

McInerny manages to present the salient points of Thomas' philosophy and reminds the reader that “our destiny is the perfection of knowledge , a beatifying vision of God … a knowledge animated by love.” The reader who is not conversant with Thomas may find Copleston or Pieper to be better introductions to Thomas and his thought, however.

[Andy Oram · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short but difficult book that traces the major thinker's reasoning on such complex issues as whether metaphysics covers particular non-material beings (divine ones) or general principles that apply to all learning. Of course, the book culminates in questions of belief in such basic Catholic doctrines as the Trinity.

McInerny disappointed me because I found so many places where he could have employed simple examples or explained terms in everyday ways, and he veered away from that opportunity. In many places I felt that I might just as well have read a translation of Aquinas instead of McInerny's gloss.

As another reviewer said, this book is not for beginners. Still, McInerny should have been more careful to define terms.

Ultimately, I decided that I had learned enough to make the book worthwhile.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

He does what the book paints itself to do - a kind of life of St. Thomas Aquinas along with his most significant concepts and ideas relating to the deposit of faith. Good for any beginner or anyone else new to Thomism.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this but I don't remember much about it. I read it almost in one sitting. But it just kind of went through my mind.

[Erik]

Recommended by James Schall in Another Sort of Learning, Chapter 7, as one of several books to quietly read to stir thoughts of the highest things.

[Jay D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Standard introduction that lays out the basic Thomistic approach. Highlights the main areas though, that keep an ex-Thomist. If the intellect never goes beyond created light, God is never known.