Companion to the Summa Theologica Vol. 4

Book excerpt: It is not hard to admire St. Thomas Aquinas immovably caught in the splendor of a stained-glass window; it is easy to pay tribute to his Summa Theologica as long as it remains high on a bookshelf giving character to a library. Under these circumstances, we of the twenty first century can read about them both, talk about them enthusiastically, but pretty much leave them both alone. To have Thomas walking among us, his book opened on our desks for serious study, now that is altogether something else.Aquinas is one who regardless of your placement on your spiritual journey. Aquinas is the basis for so much of what we have come to regard as dogma. This work is essential to not only understanding Aquinas's other works, but also our own journey. These issues, which he presents are not only fundamental, for many they are stumbling blocks, for others, they tend to be work around issues. These writings are the basics and yet essential works out of the plethora of works Aquinas has written.