|
| Saint Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox | 
| Author: G.k. Chesterton
Publisher: Image
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
Buy Used: $5.10
You Save: $7.85 (61%)
New (37) from $7.23
Avg. Customer Rating:  43 reviews
Sales Rank: 74915
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 192
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
ISBN: 0385090021
Dewey Decimal Number: 230.2092
EAN: 9780385090025
ASIN: 0385090021
Publication Date: February 15, 1974
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: The book is clean but may have highlights.
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
It is known that when the great Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton began his book on Saint Thomas Aquinas (who is, quite possibly, the most influential of all Christian theologians), "his research for the project consisted of a very casual perusal of a few books on his subject." To say that Chesterton was no authority is an understatement. To say further that he has written a masterpiece of elucidation may also be an understatement. Etienne Gilson, the chief scholar of Aquinas in the 20th century, said flatly "I consider it as being without possible comparison the best book ever written on St. Thomas. Nothing short of genius can account for such an achievement.... Chesterton was one of the deepest thinkers who ever existed; he was deep because he was right; and he could not help being right; but he could not either help being modest and charitable, so he left it to those who could understand him to know that he was right, and deep." So how has he accomplished this feat? By simplifying, as his editor says, without oversimplifying. He turns his own lack of intimate knowledge to his advantage by concentrating on the core elements of Aquinas' thinking: his affirmation of the goodness of creation; his defense of common sense; and "the primacy of the doctrine of being." In this way he grasps--and helps us grasp--the importance of Aquinas for us today. As Raymond Dennehy has written, it's as if Chesterton is saying to us "the truths [Aquinas] was getting at--the basic principles of reality and reason--are in themselves really quite simple. Your basic intuitions were right all along." --Doug Thorpe
Product Description
A trade paperback edition of the classic portrait of Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest of Christian philosophers, by one of the greatest of modern religious writers.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 38 more reviews...
 Classic and Beautiful September 5, 2008
As something of an "arm-chair" theologian, I've read many of the great Protestant thinkers so this slim volume was a first. My best friend gave this as a Christmas gift last year---I believe with some reservation (he's Catholic, and I'm not), but told me I'd enjoy and he was right! Many here have observed the beauty and power of Chesterson's little work on the Great Aquinas, and I enthusiastically agree. I was struck by Chesterson's ability to distill (perhaps synthesize) Aquinas in a manner accessible to anyone. On completing this book, I dug deeper (and continue) into Aquinas' philosophy and have found the journey rewarding. While I remain unconvinced on Catholism, I am convinced that St. Thomas Aquinas contributions to Christian thought are as relevant today than at any time in Western history. Highly recommended!
Brilliant writer on a magnificant and historical man May 24, 2008
I learned to appreaciate Thomas Aquinas in a completely new way from this book. Chesterton's intellect must have been comparable to that of Aquinas. It is somewhat difficult to read because the author's vocabulary and style are somewhat unfamiliar, being from a different time and place. This, however, is the most readable of the books I have read by Chesterton. I finished it with a tremendous respect for the intellect and the spirituality of Aquinas.
Aquinas April 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
G.K. Chesterton notes Saint Thomas Aquinas' philosophy to be one of "a central common sense that is nourished by the five senses" (p. 13). His "argument for Revelation is not an argument against Reason; but it is an argument for Revelation. The conclusion he draws from it is that men must receive the highest moral truths in a miraculous manner; or most men would not receive them at all" (p. 19).
St. Thomas' philosophy is deeply needed in today's world with its distorted thinking. For St. Thomas, "a man is not a man without his body, just as he is not a man without his soul" (p. 17). Indeed, "a Christian means a man who believes that deity or sanctity has attached to matter or entered the world of the senses" (p. 23). St. Thomas' philosophy is deeply optimisitic: "nobody will begin to understand the Thomist philosophy, or indeed the Catholic philosophy, who does not realize that the primary and fundamental part of it is entirely the praise of Life, the praise of Being, the praise of God as the Creator of the World" (p. 81).
By contrast, Manicheanistic thinking "is always a notion in one way or another that nature is evil; or that evil is at least rooted in nature....Sometimes it was a dualism, which made evil an equal partner with good; so that neither could be a usurper. More often it was a general idea that demons had made the material world, and if there were any good spirits, they were concerned only with the spiritual world" (p. 83). Chesteron tells us that "if we wanted to put in a picturesque and simplified form what he [St. Thomas] wanted for the world, and what was his work in history, apart from the theological and theoretical definitions, we might well say that it really was to strike a blow and settle the Manichees" (p. 79).
Early on, Chesterton notes that "the sixteenth century schism was really a belated revolt of the thirteenth century pessimists" (p. xvi). "Thomas Aquinas had struck his blow, but he had not entirely settled the Manichees" (p. 161). "It was the very life of the Thomist teaching that Reason can be trusted: it was the very life of the Lutheran teaching that Reason is utterly untrustworthy" (p. 14).
 Disappointing February 16, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
G. K. Chesterton is one of my favorite authors; "Orthodoxy" and "The Everlasting Man" are among the most thought-provoking books that I have ever read. Nevertheless, this biography of St. Thomas Aquinas was disappointing. Chesterton is, as usual, not lacking in wit, but his wit often overshadows the content. It is clear that Chesterton thinks very highly of Aquinas, but I often felt that much of his characterization was fanciful. His description of Aquinas didn't seem to contradict many of the facts that he presented, but neither did the facts justify his description. Also, the organization of the book was poor; it is topical not chronological, but its topics are not developed well enough to stand on their own. I cannot recommend this book because after reading it, my knowledge of Aquinas and his impact on philosophy, theology, and the church is still poor.
No empty boast December 27, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
GKC delivers what he promises: a sketch that may motivate readers to pick up deeper books on the subject. If you knew nothing about Thomas, chances are, you don't know awfully much more after this book, but you get an idea which way it may go.
I love Chesterton's writing, except where I disagree with him: I can't buy his basic Catholicism (he warns against that in the introduction!), his acceptance of the concept of the 'saint' and of miracles. That just does not match with his approach of 'common sense'.
What I like about him: he likes to challenge paradigms and bust myths. He does this with mighty language and drops plenty of colourful aphorisms. On the negative side: he does remain short on philosophical content (what is this Plato vs Aristotle match all about? should he not at least try to explain the outlines?), but he is a little long on '-isms' and nouns of all kind; he loves name-dropping. And he is a wee bit condescending towards the 'orient' and the 'Chinaman'. Puts me off a little.
One more in this direction: he is a little vague in some of his complaints, so I am not sure what he talks about when he mentions the 'age of uncommon reason' and praises the 'level-headed man' early on. It does sound like an anti-Einstein tirade and like the normal anti-scientist's ranting against the disappointing fact that modern science comes up with counter-intuitive hypotheses, more and more.
But I love his portrait of Thomas as a liberator of the intellect, the one who reconciled religion with reason. His statement that Thomas was the real reformer, those after him were reactionaries is surprising, but I am willing to keep the idea in mind. And he wins my sympathies completely with his comparison of Thomas and Hegel: Thomas was sane, while Hegel was mad. That needs to be said.
|
|
|
Wildlife, nature and the Environment
Sponsored Links
Learn how to get your own Amazon Book shop | |
