Rating: 
Summary: An excellent investment!
Review: Anybody who seriously studies theology and/or philosophy, especially those who are Roman Catholic, must have some knowledge of this timeless classic written by St. Thomas Aquinas. I heartily recommend this English translation of the Summa Theologica; however, if you want to do scholarly research, it would be best to get your hands on a copy of a good Latin version. A good Latin version provides access to many nuances not adequately expressed in the English translation. Serious and orthodox Catholics, especially, will discover the Summa Theologica to be an endless font of knowledge and wisdom. If you are a non-specialist or a person with little background in philosophical-theology and the history of ideas, it would be wise to find a companion to guide you. For this purpose, I recommend anything on the topic written by Rev. Dr. Brian Davies, OP (Oxford University), Rev. Dr. Armand Maurer, OSA (Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies), Dr. Ralph McInerny (University of Notre Dame), and/or Dr. Eleonore Stump (Saint Louis University). Be careful not to read St. Thomas blindly without guides who have truly studied his thought. These scholars will provide much needed background and prerequisite knowledge.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent investment!
Review: Anybody who seriously studies theology and/or philosophy, especially those who are Roman Catholic, must have some knowledge of this timeless classic written by St. Thomas Aquinas. I heartily recommend this English translation of the Summa Theologica; however, if you want to do scholarly research, it would be best to get your hands on a copy of a good Latin version. A good Latin version provides access to many nuances not adequately expressed in the English translation. Serious and orthodox Catholics, especially, will discover the Summa Theologica to be an endless font of knowledge and wisdom. If you are a non-specialist or a person with little background in philosophical-theology and the history of ideas, it would be wise to find a companion to guide you. For this purpose, I recommend anything on the topic written by Rev. Dr. Brian Davies, OP (Oxford University), Rev. Dr. Armand Maurer, OSA (Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies), Dr. Ralph McInerny (University of Notre Dame), and/or Dr. Eleonore Stump (Saint Louis University). Be careful not to read St. Thomas blindly without guides who have truly studied his thought. These scholars will provide much needed background and prerequisite knowledge.
Rating:
Summary: Daunting at first... but inciteful.
Review: Aquinas, a controversial and ground-breaking writer in his time, was certainly one of the first-rate philosophical minds of Western thought. Aquinas' "Summa Theologica" is daunting at first, but inciteful once you get the hang of it. A solid reading in the "Summa..." provides a firm grounding in the reading of later Christian writers.
Rating:
Summary: From the pen of only a handful...
Review: For reasons perhaps known only to God, it seems that there will forever be only a handful of pens born and driven to produce work of the calibre of the Summa. It was not simply the work of a mere human being, nor was it the work of a simple human being. Thomas Aquinas was extrodinary for only one reason: God. Thomas's part in the Summa was his passion and devotion to excellence. He loved God fervently, and he knew Him intimately. Thomas made it his business to seek God on a daily basis. For Thomas, no other faith existed seriously, but that of the Universal Church, which is Catholicism. Thomas was devoted to the real thing, and his work is almost indescribable. How could it be otherwise? No mere and unaided human being could have possibly worked as hard and as diligently as did Thomas in penning God's logical mind for man's perusal. As Mr. Kreeft says in his Summa of the Summa, many wrote summas in the Middle Ages. It was a jaundra of the times. Be that as it may, the difference between Thomas's Summa and ANY other is the difference between a lump of coal and a brilliant diamond. Who hears of any other? God's brilliance is flawless, and for that reason alone, so is the printed outline of it, which is Thomas's Summa Theologica. This work is meant to be studied carefully and for one's lifetime. This work is not accessible to 99.9% of humanity today. At the time of it's construction, this Summa was intended as an introduction for the uninitiated and uneducated. Given humanity's penchant for instant ethics (and everything else), most of the "Pinnicle of Creation" has lost the desire and capacity for true excellence, and will probably fall asleep while merely reading the first volume's table of contents. This, I suspect, is how it should be. For man, through the agent of free will, always get what he deserves. But to God, free will cuts both ways. For He knows that there are many ways which seem right to (a) man, but which are evil and harmful (toxic) to life. In the end, it does not matter what man thinks about anything. What is...is. And on this basis, each of us will be judged.
Rating:
Summary: By any standard, a double diamond!
Review: I am not Roman Catholic, but a memebr of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Despite any denominational differences I may have, I am awed by this book. Considering Aquinas had no computers, no electricity, and no spell-check, he managed to write a lengthy bok that would embarress most Ph.D's with an army of research assistants, expense accounts, and unlimited acess to LEXIS-NEXUS. Indeed, I belive much criticism of Aquinas comes from ignorance, or a deep-seated admiration and jealousy. This is a standard work of Roman Catholic dogman and philosophical brainwork. It is a sumation of Catholic theology, systematized and organized. Aquinas covers several thousand questions relating to Catholic theology and philosophy, provides sharp questions and sound answers to objections. One of the questions gives a thumb-print of his mind: "Could [God] made the past not to have been?" (ST I-I.25.4) And Gov. Jesse Ventura said that religious people are weak-minded! By the way, Aquinas says no, since that would imply a contradiction, which is outsie of God's power. This book and translation also has the "nihil obstant" and "imprimature," whic is latin for "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval." This translation has passed the Catholic censoring board and can be considered authoriative. The only drawback is it's bulk--and therefore it is a rather awkward book to use. The internal organization helps to overcome this deficit, but a six volume with a thorough index would help. Peter Kreeft has a streamiled version of this book called "A Summa of the Summa," and an even slimmer volume called "A Shorter Summa," which is a summa of "A Summa of the Summa." These smaller books should hep you navigat the large book. The cover is conservative and suits the majesty of the interior contents, and the print and paper are excellent and durable. The prose is readable, which a laudable since there is a temptation to latinize the English. This keeps the translation faithful, but makes the book unreadable, and the good Brothers avided this pitfall majestically. As I said, I am not Catholic, but admiration for Aquinas's endeavor *is* universal. I recommend this book for any hard-core scholar or library aquisitionarian, but for person use, I would recommend Kreeft's excerpts, or Penguin's "Selected Writings" for the undergrad, or ambition high-schooler.
Rating:
Summary: By any standard, a double diamond!
Review: I am not Roman Catholic, but a memebr of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Despite any denominational differences I may have, I am awed by this book. Considering Aquinas had no computers, no electricity, and no spell-check, he managed to write a lengthy bok that would embarress most Ph.D's with an army of research assistants, expense accounts, and unlimited acess to LEXIS-NEXUS. Indeed, I belive much criticism of Aquinas comes from ignorance, or a deep-seated admiration and jealousy. This is a standard work of Roman Catholic dogman and philosophical brainwork. It is a sumation of Catholic theology, systematized and organized. Aquinas covers several thousand questions relating to Catholic theology and philosophy, provides sharp questions and sound answers to objections. One of the questions gives a thumb-print of his mind: "Could [God] made the past not to have been?" (ST I-I.25.4) And Gov. Jesse Ventura said that religious people are weak-minded! By the way, Aquinas says no, since that would imply a contradiction, which is outsie of God's power. This book and translation also has the "nihil obstant" and "imprimature," whic is latin for "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval." This translation has passed the Catholic censoring board and can be considered authoriative. The only drawback is it's bulk--and therefore it is a rather awkward book to use. The internal organization helps to overcome this deficit, but a six volume with a thorough index would help. Peter Kreeft has a streamiled version of this book called "A Summa of the Summa," and an even slimmer volume called "A Shorter Summa," which is a summa of "A Summa of the Summa." These smaller books should hep you navigat the large book. The cover is conservative and suits the majesty of the interior contents, and the print and paper are excellent and durable. The prose is readable, which a laudable since there is a temptation to latinize the English. This keeps the translation faithful, but makes the book unreadable, and the good Brothers avided this pitfall majestically. As I said, I am not Catholic, but admiration for Aquinas's endeavor *is* universal. I recommend this book for any hard-core scholar or library aquisitionarian, but for person use, I would recommend Kreeft's excerpts, or Penguin's "Selected Writings" for the undergrad, or ambition high-schooler.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read For All Who Seek The Truth
Review: I had read some Aquinas in college and decided to get the complete Summa Theologica. I believe that this is a must read for all people who seek the truth, not just Christians or Catholics. In today's day and age in America and our world where the secularists are attacking our traditional foundation on a daily basis one will find much knowledge and comfort in this brilliant work. These books logically and eloquently provide the foundation for true clarity of thought rather then the emotion driven cultural relativism that seeks to remove God and absolute truth from all things. After all it is important to remember the very foundation of truth and law itself: God
Rating:
Summary: Difficult Reading, But it has it all.
Review: If you are interested in Philosophy or theology this is a wonderfull reference book. Thomas has something to say on almost everything.
Rating:
Summary: Foundational to true knowledge
Review: Looking for an answer to the problem of evil? Aquinas answers it, and more questions than most people think to ask. If you've never read Aquinas, get Kreeft's concise edition. If you're looking for a permanent reference for your library, this is the one.
Rating:
Summary: Only the Bible is more Divinely Inspired.
Review: One of the, if not the, greatest books on Theology ever written. Not only does it strike accord with Roman Catholics it transcends to all religions.
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