Ideas in God According to Saint Thomas Aquinas: Sources and Synthesis (Studies in the History of Christian Traditions, 69)

Book info: Ideas in God According to Saint Thomas Aquinas: Sources and Synthesis (Studies in the History of Christian Traditions, 69) (Leather Bound, 368 pages) – Brill, 1996. Language: English.

This work examines the role of the doctrine of 'divine ideas' in the theology of Thomas Aquinas, a question which remains controversial.Aquinas received this doctrine in two distinct forms, from Augustine and Dionysius. The historical origins and development of this twofold tradition are traced from Plato and Aristotle, through Hellenistic philosophy, to the patristic and medieval periods.In Aquinas' account of God's knowledge, of the Word of God, of Creation and of Providence the doctrine of divine ideas plays a key role. Various strands of neoplatonist thought are clearly important for him but it is Aristotle who is of greatest significance for Aquinas' sustained and original re-thinking of the doctrine. A study of this question provides a fresh perspective on the nature of Aquinas' unique synthesis. Editorial Reviews Review 'Any future scholar treating of the topic of divine ideas will, doutbless, benefit enormously from the study of Boland.'
Timothy B. Noone, The Thomist, 1999.
'…a considerable help in one's reflection on these matters…a serious work which will repay close study.'
Brian Fox, The Review of Metaphysics, 2000.
About the Author Vivian Boland OP, STD (Rome, 1992) is Regent of Studies of the Irish Dominican Province and lecturer in moral theology at the Dominican House of Studies, Tallaght, Ireland. He has lectured extensively on Aquinas and was Beaufort Lecturer at Cambridge in 1994.