Henry of Ghent's Summa: The Questions on God's Existence and Essence, (articles 21-24 (Dallas Medieval Texts and Translations, 5) [Paperback]

J. Decorte (Editor), RJ Teske (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2005 | Series: Dallas Medieval Texts and Translations (Book 5)

This volume offers a translation with introduction and notes of Henry of Ghent's questions on the being and essence of God from his Summa of Ordinary Questions (Summa quaestionum ordinarium).

These questions form the heart of Henry's philosophy of God, especially his "new way" of proving the existence of God and his claim that God is the first object known by the human intellect.

Product Details

• Paperback: 290 pages
• Publisher: Peeters Publishers (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9042915900
• ISBN-13: 978-9042915909
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,592,369 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you want to read Scotus you have to read Henry., February 28, 2007

By 

Robert D. LaRocca - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Henry of Ghent's Summa: The Questions on God's Existence and Essence, (articles 21-24 (Dallas Medieval Texts and Translations, 5) (Paperback)

It's true. Many of Scotus's theories were reactions or commentary on Henry's lectures here translated. Scotus's treatises, especially works on God's existence and essence, will often have large sections subtitled "contra Henry" in which the subtle doctor confronts the articles in this translation. It is interesting that both these men would lecture from Peter Lombard's Sentences and arrive at such different opinions. I personally began reading Henry to find out who Scotus was so frequently arguing against, but with time and alot of labor I began to appreciate Henry in his own right.

The work reads like most Scholastic summas with its articles, questions, pro, con, reply to arguments, etc. The articles themselves are thick and rely heavily on the works of Aristotle, Augustine, and Avicenna. Henry's summa was refreshing for this reason in that unlike those who came after him he does not leave the Augustinian tradition in disuse, but herein attempts to bridge traditional Christian philosophy with the new Aristotlenism which by Henry's time was reaching its apex.

The translation is a great help for isolated Anglophones and the retained Latin text on opposite pages leave room for technical study. The introduction is also a worthy asset.