Summa Contra Gentiles, First Book (On God)


Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC

(4.6 stars; 14 reviews)

The Summa Contra Gentiles was composed by Thomas Aquinas between 1259 and 1265, in four books broadly covering teachings on God, on Creation, on Providence, and on tenets specific to Christianity. This Summa is not to be confused with his final Summa, the Summa Theologiae. The latter is specifically "theological" and directed to a Christian audience (hence Summa "Theologica"), whereas the former, as the "Contra Gentiles" indicates, is directed toward "non-Christian" thinkers. Implicitly a defence of the Catholic Christian faith, the first three books constitute a sort of rational apology of Christian thought, where philosophical arguments are deployed to defend Christian beliefs and usually only evoke Scripture in a latter instance to show its concordance with these largely-rational conclusions; the fourth book, however, is theological in character given that its content deals primarily with topics derived from Christian revelation. Although Thomas Aquinas certainly aims to discredit pagan, Jewish, Muslim or Christian-"heretical" positions incompatible with the Catholic Christian religion in this work, at the same time he incorporates whatever is salvageable from their thought, thus often quoting in his favor the very authors he discredits on other positions: therefore the "Contra Gentiles" of this Summa is not to be understood as an outright rejection of non-Christian thought, but rather as a sort of "rational purification" unto its Catholic assimilation, in disposing open minds to revealed Christian truths. (Summary by M.S.C. Lambert, LC)

Chapters

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I. IN WHAT CONSISTS THE OFFICE OF A WISE MAN (preceded by Translator's Preface) 7:53 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
II. THE AUTHOR'S INTENTION IN THIS WORK 3:56 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
III. IN WHAT WAY IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE KNOWN THE DIVINE TRUTH 6:55 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
IV. THAT THE TRUTH ABOUT DIVINE THINGS WHICH IS ATTAINABLE BY REASON IS FITTINGLY PROPOSED TO MAN AS AN OBJECT OF BELIEF 5:31 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
V. THAT THOSE THINGS WHICH CANNOT BE INVESTIGATED REASON ARE FITTINGLY PROPOSED TO MAN AS AN OBJECT OF FAITH 5:10 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
VI. THAT IT IS NOT A MARK OF LEVITY TO ASSENT TO THE THINGS THAT ARE OF FAITH, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE ABOVE REASON 5:40 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
VII. THAT THE TRUTH OF REASON IS NOT IN OPPOSITION TO THE TRUTH OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH 3:56 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
VIII. IN WHAT RELATION HUMAN REASON STANDS TO THE TRUTH OF FAITH 2:42 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
IX. OF THE ORDER AND MODE OF PROCEDURE IN THIS WORK 3:50 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
X. OF THE OPINION OF THOSE WHO AVER THAT IT CANNOT BE DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE IS A GOD, SINCE THIS IS SELF-EVIDENT 4:15 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XI. REFUTATION OF THE FOREGOING OPINION AND SOLUTION OF THE AFORESAID ARGUMENTS 5:51 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XII. OF THE OPINION OF THOSE WHO SAY THAT THE EXISTENCE OF GOD CANNOT BE PROVED, AND THAT IT IS HELD BY FAITH ALONE 4:59 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XIII. ARGUMENTS IN PROOF OF GOD'S EXISTENCE 25:53 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XIV. THAT IN ORDER TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IT IS NECESSARY TO PROCEED BY THE WAY OF REMOTION 3:45 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XV. THAT GOD IS ETERNAL 4:48 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XVI. THAT IN GOD THERE IS NO PASSIVE POTENTIALITY 4:11 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XVII. THAT IN GOD THERE IS NO MATTER 3:48 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XVIII. THAT IN GOD THERE IS NO COMPOSITION 4:40 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XIX. THAT IN GOD THERE IS NOTHING VIOLENT OR BESIDE NATURE 2:32 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XX. THAT GOD IS NOT A BODY 25:32 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXI. THAT GOD IS HIS OWN ESSENCE 4:18 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXII. THAT IN GOD EXISTENCE AND ESSENCE ARE THE SAME 9:19 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXIII. THAT THERE IS NO ACCIDENT IN GOD 5:43 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXIV. THAT THE DIVINE BEING CANNOT BE SPECIFIED BY THE ADDITION OF ANY SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE 4:14 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXV. THAT GOD IS NOT IN ANY GENUS 6:17 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXVI. THAT GOD IS NOT THE FORMAL BEING OF ALL THINGS 10:50 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXVII. THAT GOD IS NOT THE FORM OF A BODY 4:43 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXVIII. OF THE DIVINE PERFECTION 7:40 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXIX. OF THE LIKENESS OF CREATURES 4:23 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXX. WHAT TERMS CAN BE PREDICATED OF GOD 4:43 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXXI. THAT THE DIVINE PERFECTION AND THE PLURALITY OF DIVINE NAMES ARE NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THE DIVINE SIMPLICITY 4:18 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXXII. THAT NOTHING IS PREDICATED UNIVOCALLY OF GOD AND OTHER THINGS 5:23 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXXIII. THAT NOT ALL TERMS APPLIED TO GOD AND CREATURES ARE PURELY EQUIVOCAL 3:45 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXXIV. THAT TERMS APPLIED TO GOD AND CREATURES ARE EMPLOYED ANALOGICALLY 4:05 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXXV. THAT THE SEVERAL NAMES PREDICATED OF GOD ARE NOT SYNONYMOUS 1:52 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXXVI. HOW OUR INTELLECT FORMS A PROPOSITION ABOUT GOD 2:01 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXXVII. THAT GOD IS GOOD 4:31 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXXVIII. THAT GOD IS GOODNESS ITSELF 3:15 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XXXIX. THAT NO EVIL CAN BE IN GOD 4:41 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XL. THAT GOD IS THE GOOD OF EVERY GOOD 2:35 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XLI. THAT GOD IS THE SOVEREIGN GOOD 2:31 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XLII. THAT GOD IS ONE 16:35 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XLIII. THAT GOD IS INFINITE 12:47 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XLIV. THAT GOD IS AN INTELLIGENT BEING 8:37 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XLV. THAT GOD'S ACT OF INTELLIGENCE IS HIS ESSENCE 3:43 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XLVI. THAT GOD UNDERSTANDS BY NOTHING ELSE THAN HIS ESSENCE 4:03 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XLVII. THAT GOD UNDERSTANDS HIMSELF PERFECTLY 4:35 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XLVIII. THAT GOD KNOWS ONLY HIMSELF FIRST AND PER SE 4:32 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XLIX. THAT GOD KNOWS THINGS OTHER THAN HIMSELF 3:17 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
L. THAT GOD HAS PROPER KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THINGS 8:19 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LI. REASONS FOR INQUIRING HOW THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF THINGS UNDERSTOOD IN THE DIVINE INTELLECT 4:28 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LII. REASONS FOR INQUIRING HOW THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF THINGS UNDERSTOOD IN THE DIVINE INTELLECT 2:09 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LIII. SOLUTION OF THE FOREGOING DOUBT 4:05 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LIV. HOW THE DIVINE ESSENCE, THOUGH ONE AND SIMPLE, IS A PROPER LIKENESS OF ALL THINGS INTELLIGIBLE 6:29 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LV. THAT GOD UNDERSTANDS ALL THINGS AT THE SAME INSTANT 5:58 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LVI. THAT GOD'S KNOWLEDGE IS NOT A HABIT 3:49 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LVII. THAT GOD'S KNOWLEDGE IS NOT DISCURSIVE 6:59 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LVIII. THAT GOD DOES NOT UNDERSTAND BY COMPOSITION AND DIVISION 4:47 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LIX. THAT GOD IS NOT IGNORANT OF THE TRUTH OF ENUNCIATIONS 5:39 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LX. THAT GOD IS TRUTH 2:49 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXI. THAT GOD IS THE MOST PURE TRUTH 5:19 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXII. THAT THE DIVINE TRUTH IS THE FIRST AND SUPREME TRUTH 3:05 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXIII. THE ARGUMENTS OF THOSE WHO WOULD DENY TO GOD THE KNOWLEDGE OF SINGULARS 5:31 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXIV. ORDER OF THE THINGS TO BE SAID ABOUT THE DIVINE KNOWLEDGE 1:26 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXV. THAT GOD KNOWS SINGULARS 10:31 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXVI. THAT GOD KNOWS THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT 9:38 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXVII. THAT GOD KNOWS FUTURE CONTINGENT SINGULARS 10:09 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXVIII. THAT GOD KNOWS THE MOVEMENTS OF THE WILL 5:15 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXIX. THAT GOD KNOWS INFINITE THINGS 11:30 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXX. THAT GOD KNOWS TRIVIAL THINGS 7:54 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXI. THAT GOD KNOWS EVIL THINGS 11:16 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXII. THAT IN GOD THERE IS WILL 8:33 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXIII. THAT GOD'S WILL IS HIS ESSENCE 2:50 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXIV. THAT THE PRINCIPAL OBJECT OF GOD'S WILL IS THE DIVINE ESSENCE 3:56 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXV. THAT GOD IN WILLING HIMSELF WILLS ALSO OTHER THINGS 4:28 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXVI. THAT GOD, BY THE ONE ACT OF HIS WILL, WILLS HIMSELF AND OTHER THINGS 5:25 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXVII. THAT THE MULTITUDE OF THINGS WILLED IS NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THE DIVINE SIMPLICITY 3:16 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXVIII. THAT THE DIVINE WILL EXTENDS TO PARTICULAR GOODS 4:34 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXIX. THAT GOD WILLS EVEN THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT YET 5:31 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXX. THAT GOD NECESSARILY WILLS HIS BEING AND HIS GOODNESS 3:46 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXXI. THAT GOD DOES NOT NECESSARILY WILL OTHER THINGS THAN HIMSELF 6:59 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXXII. OBJECTIONS AGAINST THE STATEMENT THAT GOD WILLS NOT OF NECESSITY THINGS OTHER THAN HIMSELF, IN THAT IT INVOLVES IMPOSSIBILITIES 8:32 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXXIII. THAT GOD WILLS SOMETHING OTHER THAN HIMSELF BY A NECESSITY OF SUPPOSITION 3:15 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXXIV. THAT GOD'S WILL IS NOT OF THINGS IMPOSSIBLE IN THEMSELVES 3:33 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXXV. THAT THE DIVINE WILL DOES NOT REMOVE CONTINGENCY FROM THINGS, NOR IMPOSE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY ON THEM 4:16 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXXVI. THAT A REASON OF THE DIVINE WILL CAN BE ASSIGNED 3:16 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXXVII. THAT NOTHING CAN BE THE CAUSE OF THE DIVINE WILL 2:18 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXXVIII. THAT IN GOD THERE IS FREE-WILL 2:47 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
LXXXIX. THAT THE PASSIONS OF THE APPETITE ARE NOT IN GOD 7:44 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XC. THAT IN GOD ARE DELIGHT AND JOY, NOR ARE THEY INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE DIVINE PERFECTION 5:20 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XCI. THAT IN GOD THERE IS LOVE 13:06 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XCII. HOW VIRTUES ARE TO BE ASCRIBED TO GOD 6:26 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XCIII. THAT IN GOD THERE ARE THE MORAL VIRTUES WHICH ARE ABOUT ACTIONS 10:14 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XCIV. THAT THE CONTEMPLATIVE VIRTUES ARE IN GOD 2:29 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XCV. THAT GOD CANNOT WILL EVIL 3:02 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XCVI. THAT GOD HATES NOTHING, NOR CAN THE HATRED OF ANYTHING BE ASCRIBED TO HIM 5:13 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XCVII. THAT GOD IS A LIVING BEING 3:11 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XCVIII. THAT GOD IS HIS OWN LIFE 2:55 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
XCIX. THAT GOD'S LIFE IS ETERNAL 3:18 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
C. THAT GOD IS HAPPY 6:04 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
CI. THAT GOD IS HIS OWN HAPPINESS 2:24 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC
CII. THAT GOD'S HAPPINESS IS PERFECT AND SINGULAR, SURPASSING ALL OTHER HAPPINESS 7:34 Read by M.S.C. Lambert, LC

Reviews

Excellent Listen!


(5 stars)

Summa Contra Gentiles are the best along with Summa Theologica. 7-14 Summa Theologica read by MSC Lambert and Summa Contra Gentiles 1 and 2 by him as well are the ones that truly are super.