Reddit reviews A Shorter Summa: The Essential Philosophical Passages of Saint Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica

Hi forthewar! Don't worry about asking a question. We don't bite here. Well, maybe when we're drunk. But we make sure go to confession right after. ;)

One of the advantages of being Catholic is that a lot of the history and documentation are available in primary sources. The disadvantage is that the sources are very tough reads. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC for short) is available online. It is comprehensive, and contains many links to sources, but it is a very dense read. (If you are really interested in these questions, want a reference, and/or are a glutton for long reads, then St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica - the foundation of Christian philosophy and metaphysics - is also available online.. It's even more dense than the CCC. These are essential references for specific questions, but straight reads are not recommended.

Besides Catholicism for Dummies suggested below (I don't know if that's funny or sad...), the best modern general overview of Catholic teaching is Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith by Fr. Robert Barron. It's comprehensive, but also very readable. There's a companion video series by the same name, and Fr. Barron is also very active in the online arena, frequently posting columns and videos on the Word on Fire site. Peter Kreeft's Catholic Christianity: A Complete Catechism is a condensed version of the CCC, but some people might find it a little too academic. Kreeft also did the same for Aquinas in A Shorter Summa.

If you're looking for a more specific and concise source on the history of the rites Catholic use during our masses, I'd recommend The Mass of the Early Christians by Mike Aquilina. The last chapter alone - a "you are there" description of a Christian Mass in Second Century North Africa - is worth the price of the book. It brought home to me just how ancient and constant our Catholic rites and traditions really are.

And of course, if you come across something in your explorations that doesn't make sense, come ask us. That's what the interwebs are for, no?

Peter Kreeft wrote "A shorter summa" which is a condensed version of the condensed Summa. Worth checking out and it's not too intimidating.

Here's the link

Well, it depends on how much these kids can handle.

Every Catholic should read The Imitation of Christ

The Lamb's Supper really gives a fantastic understanding of the Mass. You'll never look at it the same again. There's even a study guide for it!

I stumbled across Aquinas in middle school and I thank God every day. He's the reason I stayed a Catholic. I understand the Summa Theologica is hard to read, but perhaps Peter Kreeft's A Shorter Summa will do.

For the younger guys, I think Patrick Madrid is an ok choice. I think his classical Where's that in the Bible? will do.

For your older middle school kids (7th to 9th grade), please, please read Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body. Here's a beginner version. Teenagers are teenagers, ya know? They need to be aware of these things if their parents aren't discussing it with them. We live in a sex-driven society and we need to make sure they don't get off track :)

Good luck with your classes!

Actually, Peter Kreeft did! He wrote a Summa of the Summa and then A Shorter Summa, which is only like 150 pages.

If you find Summa of the Summa too thick and intimidating, try A Shorter Summa by the same author. That is the book that got me started with St. Thomas.

Peter Kreeft's Shorter Summa of St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa is short enough to read in a couple days.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0898704383/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_yJx-wb54M8KZ2

And C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity explains the Christian concept of God.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060652926/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_-Kx-wbD04HZK2

This one is supposed to be pretty good. I haven’t read it, but I believe it’s basically a shorter and more concise version of his previous book “Summa of the Summa”



Also, this post from this sub should also be helpful.

"A Shorter Summa" by Kreeft is a decent introduction to Aquinas. Here.

The First Way / Thomistic God do have the classic divine attributes usually attributed to God. And from that position, Aquinas spends a lot of arguments building the bridge to Jesus and the personal God. It's all very logically argued, and even people who don't believe in it have found it refreshing to read from the Summa. However, like I warned, you should never touch it without a guide, such as an annotated one.