Thomas Aquinas's "Summa theologiae": A Biography (Lives of Great Religious Books)
"TheSumma theologiaeset a defining intellectual mark for the West. Bernard McGinn, in his elegant book, shows how Aquinas's transcendent work resonated through the centuries to remain a necessary measure of thought to this day."--James Carroll, author ofWarburg in Rome"In this wonderfully succinct and readable book, Bernard McGinn has packed extensive information on how theSummawas written, how it has been received over the centuries, and how we should make sense of it today. It is rare to find such a well-balanced and rounded picture of one of our greatest works of theology."--Oliver Davies, King's College London"There is no better introduction to Aquinas, to hisSumma, and to the history of his influence through the ages down to the present. McGinn's learned yet accessible book shows how Aquinas reflected the culture of his times yet rose above it to speak to future generations. By laying out the structure of theSummaand leading readers through its parts, McGinn eases them into one of the world's great theological classics."--John W. O'Malley, author ofTrent: What Happened at the Council"An exceptional achievement. Against the backdrop of his magisterial scholarship--already on display in his multivolume history of mysticism--McGinn offers us both a theoretical and historical introduction to this masterpiece of Christian rationality as well as a balanced appreciation of Thomism."--Jean-Luc Marion, University of Chicago, Institut Catholique de Paris"Extremely well written. McGinn brings together in concise form much recent work on Aquinas. He provides an accessible introduction to some of the most significant scholarship on theSumma."--Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt, author ofThomas Aquinas: Faith, Reason, and Following Christ