Summa Theologica, Part I (Prima Pars) - The Original Classic Edition

St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica is the premier work of Catholic theology, studied at all major Catholic universities and seminaries, as well as by theologians and philosophers of religion of all denominations. Of St. Thomas many works, this masterpiece presents a systematic and organic treatment of several thousand important theological questions, ranging from God, the Trinity, and the nature of Christ, to the nature and psychology of the human person and the nature and mission of the Church. St. Thomas considers creation in its natural light, as well as under the operations of grace, including discussions of morality, redemption, the sacraments, and the operation of divine providence. The scope of topics is enormous, and these few hardly do justice to the contents.

The format of this work is arranged into individual articles for easy reading of St. Thomas answers to individual questions, but there is a continuity to the way questions are raised and answered that makes the work a unified whole -- not simply a theological manual or encyclopedia, but also a profound read from cover to cover. A leading biographer of Thomas (OMeara) has called the Summa a cathedral of thought, which is perhaps the best description for such a short space here.

I heartily recommend this work and this particular edition of the Summa in English