Thomas Aquinas on Faith, Hope, and Love : A Summa of the Summa on the Theological Virtues

Thomas Aquinas on Faith, Hope, and Love is designed to make as easy as possible a first reading of key passages from the Summa theologiae . This book contains selections from the Summa that are most influential, most important, or likely to be most interesting to the contemporary reader. The text of the Summa itself is edited and arranged for beginners. Each article begins with Thomas's answers to the question at hand and then goes to the first objection, followed by the reply to the first objection, the second objection and its reply, and so on. This arrangement provides a greater accessibility and ease in following the argument. Below the text, copious footnotes illuminate the text as a professor in the classroom might. Some notes provide historical background to figures that Thomas presupposes his reader will know such as Gratian, Dionysius, and Lombard. Other notes offer doctrinal summaries of other parts of the Summa that illuminate what Thomas says about faith, hope, or love. Thomas had an enormous influence on theologians, Church councils, and popes after his time, so some footnotes examine this influence. Thomas drew heavily on sources of wisdom before him, so other footnotes summarize the teachings of earlier authors, such as Aristotle and Augustine. This book also contains introductory essays on the Summa , on faith, on hope, and on love, which provide an overview to situate the reader and place treatment of the theological virtues in its larger context of the Summa . For those who have never read Thomas Aquinas on faith, hope, and love (and for those who teach them), this book provides ready access to the wisdom of the Angelic doctor. Contents Foreword by Peter Kreeft Introduction On Faith Introduction to Faith Question 1: The Object of Faith Article 1: Is the object of faith the First Truth? Article 2: Is the object of faith something complex, by way of a proposition? Article 3: Can anything false come under faith? Article 7: Have the articles of faith increased in the course of time? Article 9: Is it suitable for the articles of faith to be embodied in a creed? Article 10: Does it belong to the Pope to draw up a creed of faith? Question 2: The Act of Faith Article 2: Is the act of faith suitably distinguished as believing God (credere Deo), believing in a God (credere Deum) and believing in God (credere in Deum)? Article 3: Is it necessary for salvation to believe anything beyond natural reason? Article 4: Is it necessary to believe those things which can be proved by natural reason? Article 7: Is it necessary for the salvation of all that they should believe explicitly in the mystery of Christ?. Article 9: Is it meritorious to believe? Article 10: Do reasons in support of what we believe lessen the merit of faith? Question 4: The Virtue Itself of Faith Article 3: Is charity the form of faith? Article 5: Is faith a virtue? Question 5: Those Who Have Faith Article 3: Can a man who disbelieves one article of faith have living faith in the other articles? Article 4: Can faith be greater in one person than in another? Question 6: The Cause of Faith Article 1: Is faith infused into a human being by God? Question 7: The Effects of Faith Article 1: Is fear an effect of faith? Question 10: Unbelief Article 1: Is unbelief a sin? Article 12: Should the children of Jews and other unbelievers be baptized against their parents’ will? Question 11: Heresy Article 2: Is heresy properly about matters of faith? On Hope Introduction to Hope Question 17: Hope Considered in Itself Article 1: Is hope a virtue? Article 2: Is eternal happiness the proper object of hope? Article 5: Is hope a theological virtue? Article 6: Is hope distinct from faith and love? Question 18: The Subject of Hope Article 2: Is there hope in those who are in heaven? Article 3: Is hope in those who are in hell? Article 4: Is there certainty in the hope of those on earth? Question 19: The Gift of Fear Article 1: Can God be feared? Article 2: Is fear fittingly divided into filial, initial, servile and worldly fear? Article 7: Is fear the beginning of wisdom? Article 9: Is fear a gift of the Holy Spirit? Question 20: Despair Article 1: Is despair a sin? Question 21: Presumption Article 1: Does presumption trust in God or in our own power? Article 2: Is presumption a sin? On Love (Charity) Introduction to Love Question 23: Charity in Itself Article 1: Is charity friendship? Article 6: Is charity the most excellent of the virtues? Article 7: Is any true virtue possible without charity? Question 24: The Subject of Charity Article 2: Is charity caused in us by divine infusion? Article 4: Can charity increase? Article 12: Is charity lost through one mortal sin? Question 25: The Objects of Charity Article 1: Does the love of charity stop at God? Article 6: Should we love sinners out of charity? Question 26: The Order of Charity Article 2: Should God be loved more than our neighbor? Article 6: Should we love one neighbor more than another? Question 28: Joy Article 1: Is joy an effect of charity? Article 2: Is the spiritual joy that results from charity compatible with any sorrow? Article 3: Can the spiritual joy that proceeds from charity be complete? Question 29: Peace Article 2: Do all things desire peace? Question 30: Mercy Article 4: Is mercy the greatest of the virtues? Question 31: External Acts of Benevolence Article 2: Should we do good to all? Article 3: Should we do more good to those who are more closely united to us? Question 32: Almsgiving (Works of Mercy) Article 1: Is almsgiving an act of charity? Article 2: Are the different works of mercy suitably listed? Article 3: Are corporal works of mercy more important than spiritual works of mercy? Article 5: Are works of mercy a matter of precept? Question 33: Fraternal Correction Article 4: Is a person bound to correct his prelate? Question 34: Hatred Article 1: Is it possible for anyone to hate God? Article 2: Is hatred of God the greatest of sins? Article 3: Is hatred of one’s neighbor always a sin? Article 4: Is hatred of our neighbor the most grievous sin against our neighbor? Question 36: Envy Article 4: Is envy a capital vice? Question 38: Contention Article 1: Is contention a mortal sin Question 39: Schism Article 1: Is schism a special sin? Article 2: Is schism a graver sin than unbelief? Question 40: War Article 1: Is it always sinful to wage war? Question 42: Rebellion against the Authority of the State (Sedition) Article 2: Is rebellion against the authority of the state always a mortal sin? Question 44: Precepts of Charity Article 1: Should any precept be given about charity? Article 2: Should two precepts of love have been given? Article 3: Are two precepts of love sufficient? Article 4: Is it fittingly commanded that man should love God with his whole heart? Article 6: Is it possible in this life to fulfill this precept of the love of God? Article 7: Is the precept of love of our neighbor fittingly expressed? General Index Scripture Index Thomas Aquinas on Faith, Hope, and Love is designed tomake as easy as possible a first reading of key passages from theSumma theologiae. This book contains selections from theSumma that are most influential, most important, or likely to bemost interesting to the contemporary reader. The text of theSumma itself is edited and arranged for beginners. Eacharticle begins with Thomas's answers to the question at hand andthen goes to the first objection, followed by the reply to thefirst objection, the second objection and its reply, and so on.This arrangement provides a greater accessibility and ease infollowing the argument. Below the text, copious footnotesilluminate the text as a professor in the classroom might. Somenotes provide historical background to figures that Thomaspresupposes his reader will know such as Gratian, Dionysius, andLombard. Other notes offer doctrinal summaries of other parts ofthe Summa that illuminate what Thomas says about faith,hope, or love. Thomas had an enormous influence on theologians,Church councils, and popes after his time, so some footnotesexamine this influence. Thomas drew heavily on sources of wisdombefore him, so other footnotes summarize the teachings of earlierauthors, such as Aristotle and Augustine. This book also containsintroductory essays on the Summa, on faith, on hope, andon love, which provide an overview to situate the reader and placetreatment of the theological virtues in its larger context of theSumma. For those who have never read Thomas Aquinas onfaith, hope, and love (and for those who teach them), this bookprovides ready access to the wisdom of the Angelic doctor Thomas Aquinas on faith, hope, and love provides essential passages from Thomas's treatment of the theological virtues in the Summa theologiae, edited and explained for classroom use or the independent reader