Summa Theologica, Part II-II (Secunda Secundae) Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province

About this book

The work is the second half of the second part of Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologica, a systematic theological treatise that examines the virtues, vices, and precepts of the Christian faith. The opening of this volume presents a meticulous editorial note that explains how the text has been cleaned, footnotes integrated, and numbering of questions and articles restored, mirroring the structure of the original Benziger Brothers edition. From there the contents list unfolds, showing a dense catalogue of questions ranging from the nature of faith, hope, and charity to the detailed analysis of prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, and the various vices opposed to each virtue. The first article begins with the classic Scholastic format of objections, counter‑objections, and a resolution, immediately immersing the reader in Aquinas’s method of posing precise philosophical problems and answering them through scriptural and philosophical authority.

The voice is that of a thirteenth‑century Dominican scholar, employing a formal, question‑and‑answer style that interweaves Aristotelian logic with biblical exegesis. The language is precise, often technical, and assumes familiarity with theological terminology, making the text most rewarding for students of philosophy, theology, or medieval intellectual history. Readers who enjoy rigorous argumentation, systematic exploration of doctrine, and the disciplined cadence of Scholastic discourse will find this portion of the Summa a rich source of insight into the Catholic Church’s early doctrinal thought.