Summa of the Christian Life, Volume 3
Type
Book
Authors
Category
Catholic Theology
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Publication Year
1958
Publisher
B. Herder, United States
Pages
372
Description
This is the best synthesis of the spiritual doctrine of Fray Louis of Granada that has ever been compiled. It is not a mere collection or anthology, but a carefully arranged groupings of passages selected from the complete works of Granada.
The chapters of the Summa of the Christian Life have been arranged in the order of the questions of the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, so that the present compilation enjoys the greatest theological unity. Moreover, it serves as a practical and inspiring exposition of the theological doctrine of the Angelic Doctor.
The fact that Fray Louis of Granada was above all a theologian for the laity is perhaps nowhere more evident than in the present compilation. Here is a spiritual theology that is within the comprehension of all, for Granada treats of even the most profound truths of the spiritual life with a simplicity and an insight that are characteristic of those souls who have experienced these truths vitally.
The Summa of the Christian Life is meant to be a compendium or guide for the formation of the perfect Christian. The theme of this work is the same as that of all the spiritual writings of Fray Louis: that the true Christian lives in and for Christ. To be a genuine Christian it does not suffice to profess the faith passively; it is not enough to believe dogmas; one must also practice the virtues.
This third and last volume of the Summa of the Christian Life offers inspiring material for devout meditation of the life and death of Christ, the role of the sacraments in the Christian life, and the all-important facts concerning death, judgment, heaven and hell.
The Author
Fray Louis of Granada is recognized as the greatest of all Dominican ascetical writers and throughout the centuries his Sinners' Guide and Book of Prayer and Meditation have rivaled in popularity such standard classics as The Imitation of Christ and the Introduction to the Devout Life. A contemporary of such great figures as St. Teresa of Avila, St. Charles Borromeo, and Ferdinand and Isabella, Fray Louis devoted his life and talents to the promulgation of Christian doctrine through preaching and writing. Provincial, prior, and counselor at the Portuguese court, the first concern of the humble Spanish Dominican was to bring the light of truth to Christians of every walk of life and to awaken in them the desire to lead a more perfect life. His mortal remains rest at Lisbon, but his message and his influence continue to exert a vital impact on Christians of every time and place.
The Translator
Father Jordan Aumann, OP, translator of the three volumes of the Summa of the Christian Life is literary editor of the Cross and Crown Series of Spirituality. He is also the translator of The Mystical Evolution, by Father John G. Arintero, OP, published in two volumes by the B. Herder Book Co., and has contributed articles on the spiritual life to La Vie Spirituelle, La Vida Sobrenatural, Cross and Crown, Integrity, and Review for Religious.
Taken from the inside flaps.
The chapters of the Summa of the Christian Life have been arranged in the order of the questions of the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, so that the present compilation enjoys the greatest theological unity. Moreover, it serves as a practical and inspiring exposition of the theological doctrine of the Angelic Doctor.
The fact that Fray Louis of Granada was above all a theologian for the laity is perhaps nowhere more evident than in the present compilation. Here is a spiritual theology that is within the comprehension of all, for Granada treats of even the most profound truths of the spiritual life with a simplicity and an insight that are characteristic of those souls who have experienced these truths vitally.
The Summa of the Christian Life is meant to be a compendium or guide for the formation of the perfect Christian. The theme of this work is the same as that of all the spiritual writings of Fray Louis: that the true Christian lives in and for Christ. To be a genuine Christian it does not suffice to profess the faith passively; it is not enough to believe dogmas; one must also practice the virtues.
This third and last volume of the Summa of the Christian Life offers inspiring material for devout meditation of the life and death of Christ, the role of the sacraments in the Christian life, and the all-important facts concerning death, judgment, heaven and hell.
The Author
Fray Louis of Granada is recognized as the greatest of all Dominican ascetical writers and throughout the centuries his Sinners' Guide and Book of Prayer and Meditation have rivaled in popularity such standard classics as The Imitation of Christ and the Introduction to the Devout Life. A contemporary of such great figures as St. Teresa of Avila, St. Charles Borromeo, and Ferdinand and Isabella, Fray Louis devoted his life and talents to the promulgation of Christian doctrine through preaching and writing. Provincial, prior, and counselor at the Portuguese court, the first concern of the humble Spanish Dominican was to bring the light of truth to Christians of every walk of life and to awaken in them the desire to lead a more perfect life. His mortal remains rest at Lisbon, but his message and his influence continue to exert a vital impact on Christians of every time and place.
The Translator
Father Jordan Aumann, OP, translator of the three volumes of the Summa of the Christian Life is literary editor of the Cross and Crown Series of Spirituality. He is also the translator of The Mystical Evolution, by Father John G. Arintero, OP, published in two volumes by the B. Herder Book Co., and has contributed articles on the spiritual life to La Vie Spirituelle, La Vida Sobrenatural, Cross and Crown, Integrity, and Review for Religious.
Taken from the inside flaps.
Number of Copies
2