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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>SUMMA THEOLOGIAE: Home</title><script src="https://dtyry4ejybx0.cloudfront.net/js/cmp/cleanmediacmp.js?ver=0104" async="true"></script><script defer data-domain="newadvent.org" src="https://plausible.io/js/script.js"></script><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newadvent.org/summa/"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="description" content="St. Thomas Aquinas' entire masterpiece, in an easy-to-use format"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="http://feeds.newadvent.org/bestoftheweb?format=xml"><link rel="icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="shortcut icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><meta name="robots" content="noodp"><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="../utility/screen6.css" media="screen"></head> <body class="summa" id="index.html">  <br/> <div id="capitalcity"><table summary="Logo" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr valign="bottom"><td align="left"><a href="../"><img height=36 width=153 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></td><td align="right"> <form id="searchbox_000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0" action="../utility/search.htm">  <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active"> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0"/> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:9"/>  <label for="searchQuery" id="searchQueryLabel">Search:</label> <input id="searchQuery" name="q" type="text" size="25" aria-labelledby="searchQueryLabel"/>  <label for="submitButton" id="submitButtonLabel" class="visually-hidden">Submit Search</label> <input id="submitButton" type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" aria-labelledby="submitButtonLabel"/> </form> <table summary="Spacer" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td height="2"></td></tr></table> <table summary="Tabs" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../"> Home </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../cathen/index.html"> Encyclopedia </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_white_on_color" href="../summa/index.html"> Summa </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../fathers/index.html"> Fathers </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../bible/gen001.htm"> Bible </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../library/index.html"> Library </a></td> </tr></table> </td> </tr></table><table summary="Alphabetical index" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"> <a href="../cathen/a.htm"> A </a><a href="../cathen/b.htm"> B </a><a href="../cathen/c.htm"> C </a><a href="../cathen/d.htm"> D </a><a href="../cathen/e.htm"> E </a><a href="../cathen/f.htm"> F </a><a href="../cathen/g.htm"> G </a><a href="../cathen/h.htm"> H </a><a href="../cathen/i.htm"> I </a><a href="../cathen/j.htm"> J </a><a href="../cathen/k.htm"> K </a><a href="../cathen/l.htm"> L </a><a href="../cathen/m.htm"> M </a><a href="../cathen/n.htm"> N </a><a href="../cathen/o.htm"> O </a><a href="../cathen/p.htm"> P </a><a href="../cathen/q.htm"> Q </a><a href="../cathen/r.htm"> R </a><a href="../cathen/s.htm"> S </a><a href="../cathen/t.htm"> T </a><a href="../cathen/u.htm"> U </a><a href="../cathen/v.htm"> V </a><a href="../cathen/w.htm"> W </a><a href="../cathen/x.htm"> X </a><a href="../cathen/y.htm"> Y </a><a href="../cathen/z.htm"> Z </a> </td></tr></table></div> <div id="mobilecity" style="text-align: center; "><a href="../"><img height=24 width=102 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></div>  <div id="mi5"><span class="breadcrumbs"><a href="../">Home</a> > Summa Theologiae</span></div> <div id="springfield2"> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='summa-728x90-top' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <h1>Summa Theologiae</h1> <p>Because the <a href="../cathen/05072b.htm">doctor</a> of <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> <a href="../cathen/15073a.htm">truth</a> ought not only to teach the proficient, but also to instruct beginners (according to the <a href="../cathen/11567b.htm">Apostle</a>: <em>As unto little ones in <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a>, I gave you milk to drink, not meat</em>—<a href="../bible/1co003.htm#verse1">1 Corinthians 3:1-2</a>), we purpose in this book to treat of whatever belongs to the <a href="../cathen/03712a.htm">Christian religion</a>, in such a way as may tend to the instruction of beginners. We have considered that students in this <a href="../cathen/05075b.htm">doctrine</a> have not seldom been hampered by what they have found written by other authors, partly on account of the multiplication of useless questions, articles, and arguments, partly also because those things that are needful for them to know are not taught according to the order of the subject matter, but according as the plan of the book might require, or the occasion of the argument offer, partly, too, because frequent repetition brought weariness and confusion to the minds of readers.</p> <p>Endeavouring to avoid these and other like faults, we shall try, by <a href="../cathen/06608a.htm">God's</a> help, to set forth whatever is included in this <a href="../cathen/05075b.htm">sacred doctrine</a> as briefly and clearly as the matter itself may allow.</p> <p><a href="../summa/1.htm"><strong>P<font size=-1>RIMA</font> P<font size=-1>ARS</font>.</strong></a><br>Sacred Doctrine. The One God. The Blessed Trinity. Creation. The Angels. The Six Days. Man. The Government of Creatures.</p> <p><a href="../summa/2.htm"><strong>P<font size=-1>RIMA</font> S<font size=-1>ECUNDÆ</font> P<font size=-1>ARTIS</font>.</strong></a><br>Man's Last End. Human Acts. Passions. Habits. Vice and Sin. Law. Grace.</p> <p><a href="../summa/3.htm"><strong>S<font size=-1>ECUNDA</font> S<font size=-1>ECUNDÆ</font> P<font size=-1>ARTIS</font>.</strong></a><br>Faith. Hope. Charity. Prudence. Justice. Fortitude. Temperance. Acts Which Pertain to Certain Men.</p> <p><a href="../summa/4.htm"><strong>T<font size=-1>ERTIA</font> P<font size=-1>ARS</font>.</strong></a><br>The Incarnation. The Life of Christ. Sacraments. Baptism. Confirmation. The Holy Eucharist. Penance.</p> <p><a href="../summa/5.htm"><strong>S<font size=-1>UPPLEMENTUM</font> T<font size=-1>ERTIÆ</font> P<font size=-1>ARTIS</font>.</strong></a><br>Penance (continued). Extreme Unction. Holy Orders. Matrimony. The Resurrection. Appendices.</p> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='summa-728x90-bottom' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> </div> <div class="pub"><p align=center><font size=-2><em>The Summa Theologiæ of St. Thomas Aquinas</em><br>Second and Revised Edition, 1920<br>Literally translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province<br>Online Edition Copyright © 2017 by Kevin Knight <br><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> F. Innocentius Apap, O.P., S.T.M., Censor. Theol.<br><em>Imprimatur.</em> Edus. Canonicus Surmont, Vicarius Generalis. Westmonasterii.<br>APPROBATIO ORDINIS<br><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> F. Raphael Moss, O.P., S.T.L. and F. Leo Moore, O.P., S.T.L.<br><em>Imprimatur.</em> F. Beda Jarrett, O.P., S.T.L., A.M., Prior Provincialis Angliæ<br><br>MARIÆ IMMACULATÆ - SEDI SAPIENTIÆ</font></p></div> <div id="ogdenville"><table summary="Bottom bar" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"><center><strong>Copyright © 2023 by <a href="../utility/contactus.htm">New Advent LLC</a>. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.</strong></center></td></tr></table><p align="center"><a href="../utility/contactus.htm">CONTACT US</a> | <a href="https://cleanmedia.net/p/?psid=491-308-20180429T2217479770">ADVERTISE WITH NEW ADVENT</a></p></div> <ins class="CANBMDDisplayAD" data-bmd-ad-unit="30849120210203T1734389107AB67D35C03D4A318731A4F337F60B3E" style="display:block"></ins> <script src="https://secureaddisplay.com/au/bmd/"></script>  <ins class="CMAdExcludeArticles"></ins> </body> </html>