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Saint Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox (1933)

by G. K. Chesterton

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1,803159,346 (4.04)22
"You call him a Dumb Ox; I tell you that the Dumb Ox will bellow so loud that his bellowing will fill the world."-Albertus Magnus Dubbed the "Dumb Ox" by his classmates for his shyness, Saint Thomas Aquinas proved to be possessed of the rarest brilliance, justifying the faith of his teacher, Albertus Magnus, and sparking a revolution in Christian thought. Chesterton's unsurpassed examination of Aquinas' thinking makes his philosophy accessible to listeners of any generation. Etienne Gilson, the twentieth century's foremost authority on Aquinas, has said of this work, "I consider it as being without possible exception the best book ever written on Saint Thomas. Nothing short of genius can account for such an achievement."… (more)
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» See also 22 mentions

English (12)  Catalan (2)  Slovak (1)  All languages (15)
Showing 1-5 of 12 (next | show all)
First, I don't really feel qualified to review this book. Chesterton seems to be having a one-way conversation with his peers. I am far from a peer of G.K. Chesterton. From a comprehension standpoint, I'd say somewhere between 15 and 19%. What I did manage to glean is magnificent. If I had the necessary years left, I'd begin directly on St. Thomas Aquinas but that is not the way I'll go. I recognize in life today a few of the things that the Saint urged to avoid but we didn't.
As for Chesterton's writing, it is clear even when the subject is difficult. Now, on to his books on Fr. Brown where I think my comprehension will be better. ( )
  DeaconBernie | Feb 25, 2024 |
G.K. Chesterton's biography of Aquinas is clearly open to criticism as more hagiography than biography. Allowing for that and taking into consideration the brevity of the work and the minimal sketch of the details of Aquinas' life, it is nevertheless an outstanding book that distills the essence of Aquinas' philosophy, theology and his resulting place of prominence among the Fathers of the Church.

Chesterton relates the familiar stories about Aquinas's personal history, some of which I could recall from grammar school days under the tutelage of Domincian nuns. There is the story of his family's opposition to his ambitions to join the order of St. Dominic by kidnapping him, imprisoning him and even engaging a prostitute to tempt him and corrupt him. (This part of the story was omitted by the nuns.)

Chesterton elaborates on the controversy over incorporating the philosophy of Aristotle into his theology and causing the eclipse of Neo-Platonism with what Chesterton calls an Aristotelian revolution. He chronicles Aquinas' controversies with Siger of Brabant who drew a line between two separate spheres of truth, the province of science and the province of Christianity which are ultimately unreconcilable. To the extent that any claims are made for truth in Christianity today, this is pretty much the modern view of the validity of the respective claims of science and faith. ( )
  citizencane | Sep 15, 2023 |
Biografía del Doctor Angélico. Destaca por la calidad literaria y viveza de estilo, con anécdotas muy ilustrativas y agudos análisis sobre la importancia doctrinal y cultural de las obras de Santo Tomás. Obra de gran valor apologético. Muy útil.
  pgal23x | Jul 6, 2019 |
G.K. Chesterton's brilliant sketch of the life and thought of Thomas Aquinas is as relevant today as when it was published in 1933. Then it earned the praise of such distinguished writers as Etienne Gilson, Jacques Martain, and Anton Pegis as the best book ever written on the great thirteenth-century Dominican. Today Chesterton's classic stands poised to reveal Thomas to a new generation.
  StFrancisofAssisi | Apr 28, 2019 |
Brilliant ( )
  brone | May 18, 2015 |
Showing 1-5 of 12 (next | show all)
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Chesterton, G. K.primary authorall editionsconfirmed
Pegis, Anton C.Forewordsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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"You call him a Dumb Ox; I tell you that the Dumb Ox will bellow so loud that his bellowing will fill the world."-Albertus Magnus Dubbed the "Dumb Ox" by his classmates for his shyness, Saint Thomas Aquinas proved to be possessed of the rarest brilliance, justifying the faith of his teacher, Albertus Magnus, and sparking a revolution in Christian thought. Chesterton's unsurpassed examination of Aquinas' thinking makes his philosophy accessible to listeners of any generation. Etienne Gilson, the twentieth century's foremost authority on Aquinas, has said of this work, "I consider it as being without possible exception the best book ever written on Saint Thomas. Nothing short of genius can account for such an achievement."

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