Aquinas: Summa Theologiae, Questions on God (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy) [Paperback]

Brian Leftow (Editor), Brian Davies (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0521528925 | ISBN-13: 978-0521528924 | Edition: Up-to-date Ed

Thomas Aquinas (1224/6-1274) was one of the greatest of the medieval philosophers. His Summa Theologiae is his most important contribution to Christian theology, and one of the main sources for his philosophy. This volume offers most of the Summa's first 26 questions, including all of those on the existence and nature of God. Based on the 1960 Blackfriars translation, this version has been extensively revised by Brian Davies and also includes an introduction by Brian Leftow which places the questions in their philosophical and historical context. The result is an accessible and up-to-date edition of Aquinas' thoughts on the nature and existence of God, both of which have continuing relevance for the philosophy of religion and Christian theology.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae is his most important contribution to Christian theology and one of the main sources for his philosophy. This volume offers most of the Summa's first 26 questions on the existence and nature of God in an extensively revised version of the 1960 Blackfriars translation.

About the Author

Brian Davies is Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University, New York.

Brian Leftow is Nolloth Professor of the Christian Religion, University of Oxford.

Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; Up-to-date Ed edition (March 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521528925
• ISBN-13: 978-0521528924
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #930,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superior edition of Aquinas' ST, 1, on existence/nature of God, October 26, 2007

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This review is from: Aquinas: Summa Theologiae, Questions on God (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy) (Paperback)

The first 26 questions of Aquinas' Summa Theologica include the most studied and influential; this book includes most of them and all the questions on the existence and nature of God. Brian Davies' provides an excellent and extensive revision of the Blackfiars (1960) translation and Brian Leftow writes a substantial and precise introduction on the Identity Theory and other issues. The Identity Theory: The medievals from Augustine to Aquinas, Scotus and later scholastics, and the "modern philosophers" ( Descartes, Leibniz, Malebranche, Wolff, etc.,) held the Identity Theory of God: God is identical with his attributes and existence. Brian Leftow is the foremost representative of the growing revival of the Identity Theory in analytic philosophy, which makes him best suited to write the Introduction on the foremost "traditional" Identity Theorist from Augustine to Christian Wolff, namely, Aquinas.
But one cannot mention Brian Leftow without noting that his 1991 book TIME AND ETERNITY, justifiably called in 1995 "the contemporary classic on eternity" (one can plausibly add "and the best of the contemporary works developing the Identity Theory") is out of print, with no apparent plans for reprinting! Reprinting by some press is urgently needed.