Medieval Western philosophy Books

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Book SynopsisWhat is happiness and how do we attain it? Saint Thomas Aquinas (ca. 1226-1274) devoted much time to these questions. In studying them he always returned to the beatitudes as they are found in Matthew 5:1-10. They function as the framework for his theology of human happiness. This study presents that theology as it comes to the fore in Aquinas’ performance of his three tasks as a magister at the Parisian university: to read Scripture, to dispute theological topics, and to preach. This study shows that Aquinas believes that the beatitudes describe a number of virtuous actions, the exercise of which is made possible by grace, specified in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. To all those observing the new law constituted by the beatitudes, a reward is promised in the form of eternal happiness. Any happiness that can be had in this life is at best an inchoate form of the reward of eternal happiness, which is described in the second part of each individual beatitude.

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Book SynopsisThis volume (based on Loris Sturlese’s liturgical ordering) contains the vernacular texts and English translations of 56 of Eckhart’s German sermons, which can be linked with the cycle of preaching during the liturgical year on the Saints and other occasions (De sanctis). It is the second volume, following ETS 9 (De tempore), and gives us Eckhart’s preaching in literary form. The corpus of sermons that have been relocated into their liturgical place are taken from the critical edition of Kohlhammer to which was added a new English translation (for some of the sermons the first so in English). It opens a door to students and interested readers into the world of Eckhart’s liturgical preaching, helped by a thorough general introduction on the topic of sainthood, short prefaces to all homilies and notes.

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