Summa Theologica Sancti Thomae Aquinatis, Divinae Voluntatis Interpretis: Sacri Ordinis Praedicatorum.

AQUINAS, Thomas .

$1,500.00

Item Number: 90390

Parisiis: Sumptibus Maturini Henault, 1638.

Early printing of Aquinas’ seminal work. Folio, bound in full leather with a red morocco spine label lettered in gilt, woodcut engraving of Aquinas in prayer to the title page. In very good condition with tape repairs to the title page.

One of the most influential works of Western literature, the Summa of Aquinas was first published in 1485 as an instructional guide for theology students, including seminarians and the literate laity. A compendium of all of the main theological teachings of the Catholic Church, it presents the reasoning for almost all points of Christian theology in the West. Aquinas conceived the Summa specifically as a work suited to beginning students: "Because a doctor of catholic truth ought not only to teach the proficient, but to him pertains also to instruct beginners. As the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 3: 1–2, as to infants in Christ, I gave you milk to drink, not meat, our proposed intention in this work is to convey those things that pertain to the Christian religion, in a way that is fitting to the instruction of beginners." Not only has the Summa Theologiae been one of the main intellectual inspirations for Thomistic philosophy, but it also had such a great influence on Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, that Dante's epic poem has been called "the Summa in verse."