Extract

Many introductions to St Thomas Aquinas now exist, but I would enthusiastically recommend this work by Professor Frederick Bauerschmidt to anyone starting to study Aquinas. There was a time when introductions often focused on Aquinas's philosophy; this one locates Aquinas's philosophical ideas within his theological (or, better, evangelistic) project. It used to be easier to suppose that, throughout his working life, Aquinas maintained a single position on any matter, and even that this was the position of ‘the Middle Ages’. Drawing on a great range of Aquinas's writings, Bauerschmidt makes us aware that his ideas developed, and locates him in a complex, varied history of thought. What is most fresh and valuable in this work is that it shows us Aquinas, not just Aquinas's thought: it brings alive his determination to be a preaching friar, his concern to be veritatis Catholicae doctor. This concern, with his obedience to his Dominican mission, fired Aquinas's projects, designed to equip others in turn to ‘take every thought captive for Christ’ and to form people as Christ's disciples by preaching and personal counsel.

You do not currently have access to this article.