In from Alexis Bugnolo is news that an English translation of Bonaventure's Scriptum on Book 1 of Peter Lombard's Sentences will appear in November of this year. The translation uses the critical edition from Quaracchi, and includes all the scholia and notes! Neat.
To find out more about the translation you can follow this link.
Long-time friend of Thomistica, Fr Stephen L. Brock, has a book out of some of his articles on metaphysics in Spanish, brought to light by Liliana Irizar of Universidad Sergio Arboleda in Columbia.
Read MoreThe long awaited volume in the Leonine Edition, containing the sermons of St. Thomas and prepared by the late Fr. Louis-Jacques Bataillon OP, will be presented during a two-day conference at Le Saulchoir in Paris on 5-6 december 2013. The website of the Revue des Sciences philosophiques et théologiques has the program.
The publisher of the Leonine Edition, Cerf, now has a 50% discount on the previous printed volumes of the Leonine Edition.
Under the editorship of Liliana Irizar, the “Dewan Project in Spanish” has borne fruit in the form of two distinct books.
The latter carries an Introduction that I wrote, mirroring its predecessor, for which Fr Stephen L. Brock wrote the Introduction.
¡Get your Spanish on! Big things are happening in South American Thomism.
Nearly a year ago I posted an item about John Carlson’s philosophical lexicon Words of Wisdom. Carson has recently given an interview where he discusses the genesis of the project:
In the spring of 2000, shortly after the publication of Fides et Ratio, I taught a course in the Creighton University honors program on the renewal of the Thomist tradition, with a special focus on “speculative” philosophy—i.e., philosophy of nature, the human person, metaphysics, and God. The students were generally open to learning about the “perennial philosophy,” but they rightly complained of a lack of materials to help them master the quantity of new terms, with their complex interrelations, that were being presented. (A volume titled Dictionary of Scholastic Philosophy had been published by Father Bernard Wuellner, SJ in 1956; but it had been out of print for several decades, and nothing had replaced it.) By mid-semester I began developing and distributing pages of philosophical “glossary.” After that, the project kept expanding—almost taking on a life of its own—as I added terms from other branches of philosophy, especially moral and political philosophy, as well as further terms of various sorts that also seemed to merit treatment. Some 10 years later, after much critical support from scholarly colleagues, and much emotional support from my dear wife, I had a manuscript of Words of Wisdom ready to send to the University of Notre Dame Press.
Later he discusses the format of the lexicon:
Each of the 1,173 entries is headed by a term (i.e., a word or phrase), and includes some or all of the following elements: an etymological note; an account of the term’s meaning(s), which, if plural, are given distinct numbers; an example of the term in actual use; a brief discussion of historical or other matters that clarify the term’s meaning; critical remarks in support of or against the pertinent philosophical point; reference to other entries in the dictionary with which this one can usefully be compared and contrasted; and a listing of root-related words whose meanings can be derived from the account given in the entry.
Toward the end of the interview, Carlson speaks about the bibliography of the volume:
Regarding 20th and now 21st century commentaries and developments, let me mention the bibliography at the end of Words of Wisdom, in particular its second part, which University of St. Thomas (Houston) scholar John F.X. Knasas has called “a most representative bibliography of contemporary Thomists.” This section lists nearly 300 titles by 170 different authors. Two who are prominently listed already have been mentioned: Jacques Maritain and Yves R. Simon. Also worthy of special note would be Etienne Gilson, Josef Pieper, Charles DeKoninck, Fr. Joseph Owens, C.Ss.R., Msgr. John F. Whipple, Peter Kreeft, and one of my great teachers, Ralph McInerny; also Dominican scholars such as Benedict Ashley, William A. Wallace, Lawrence Dewan, and Aidan Nichols; and Jesuit scholars such as George P. Klubertanz, Austin Fagothey, W. Norris Clarke, and James V. Schall. Younger scholars who are making significant contributions to the perennial tradition include Steven A. Long, Christopher Kaczor, Matthew Levering, Fr. Kevin Flannery, SJ, and Fr. Thomas Joseph White, OP.
The introduction of the volume is available on the Notre Dame Press website.
Via David Whidden, some links to fascinating news about a translation company that is working towards a facing page, Latin-English translation of Thomas’s Scriptum on Peter’s Lombards Libri sententiarum. For the background to the story you can visit the Washington Times article “From Bill Gates to Thomas Aquinas” and then go to the profiled company’s page (Logos Software) devoted to the translation project (link).
It seems that the company is looking for pledged support for the project, so if you have influence in your school’s library budgets this might be the time to get the word in—especially as people try to flush out expenditures before the end of the fiscal year on June 30.
2012 marks the ten year anniversary of the commencement of a capacious publishing project in the area of Medieval Studies. In ten short years, The Dallas Medieval Text Series, under the sturdy editorial guidance of Dr. Philipp Rosemann, has brought twelve substantial medieval works into English, with three more soon to be released. The volumes are published by Peeters Press in Louvain, Belgium. Congratulations to Dr. Rosemann and his collaborators for their outstanding work. Below is some further information from the project’s website:
Launched in 2002, the Dallas Medieval Texts and Translations series pursues an ambitious goal: to build a library of medieval Latin texts, with English translations, from the period roughly between 500 and 1500, which will represent the whole breadth and variety of medieval civilization. Thus, the series is open to all subjects and genres, ranging from poetry and history through philosophy, theology, and rhetoric to treatises on natural science. It will include, as well, medieval Latin versions of Arabic and Hebrew works. Placing these texts side by side, rather than dividing them in terms of the boundaries of contemporary academic disciplines, will, we hope, contribute to a better understanding of the complex coherence and interrelatedness of the many facets of medieval written culture.
Published Volumes
- DMTT, vol. 1: Manegold of Lautenbach, Liber contra Wolfelmum. Translated with an Introduction and Notes by Robert Ziomkowski. xvi-152 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-1192-5, 40 €/US$58;
- DMTT, vol. 2: Ranulph Higden, Ars componendi sermones. Translated by Margaret Jennings and Sally A. Wilson. Introduction and Notes by Margaret Jennings. x-76 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-1242-7, 24 €/US$36;
- DMTT, vol. 3: Mystical Theology: The Glosses by Thomas Gallus and the Commentary of Robert Grosseteste on “De Mystica Theologia.” Edition, Translation, and Introduction by James McEvoy. xii-139 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-1310-3, 35 €/US$51;
- DMTT, vol. 4: A Thirteenth-Century Textbook of Mystical Theology at the University of Paris: The “Mystical Theology” of Dionysius the Areopagite in Eriugena’s Latin Translation with the Scholia translated by Anastasius the Librarian and Excerpts from Eriugena’s “Periphyseon.” Edition, Translation, and Introduction by L. Michael Harrington. xii-127 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-1394-3, 30 €/US$43;
- DMTT, vol. 5: Henry of Ghent’s “Summa”: The Questions on God’s Existence and Essence (Articles 21-24).Translation by Jos Decorte and Roland J. Teske, S.J. Latin Text, Introduction, and Notes by Roland J. Teske, S.J. x-290 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-1590-9, 35 €/US$51;
- DMTT, vol. 6: Henry of Ghent’s “Summa”: The Questions on God’s Unity and Simplicity (Articles 25-30).Latin Text, Introduction, Translation, and Notes by Roland J. Teske, S.J. xi-388 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-1811-5, 45 €/US$66;
- DMTT, vol. 7: Viking Attacks on Paris: The “Bella parisiacae urbis” of Abbo of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.Edition, Translation, and Introduction by Nirmal Dass. x-130 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-1916-7, 35 €/US$51;
- DMTT, vol. 8: William of Saint-Amour, De periculis novissimorum temporum. Edition, Translation, and Introduction by G. Geltner. xiv-157 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-2010-1, 37 €/US$54;
- DMTT, vol. 9: Albert of Saxony, Quaestiones circa logicam (Twenty-Five Disputed Questions on Logic). Introduction, Translation, and Notes by Michael J. Fitzgerald. x-261 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-2074-3, 42 €/US$61;
- DMTT, vol. 10: Thomas Bradwardine, Insolubilia. Edition, Translation, and Introduction by Stephen Read. ix-227 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-2317-1, 39 €/US$57;
- DMTT, vol. 11:Hildegard of Bingen, Two Hagiographies: Vita sancti Rupperti confessoris/Vita sancti Dysibodi episcopi. Introduction and English Translation by Hugh Feiss, O.S.B. Latin Edition by Christopher P. Evans. x-163 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-2318-8, 35€/US$51.
Just Published
- DMTT, vol. 12: On the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy: The Thirteenth-Century Textbook Edition. Edition, Translation, and Introduction by L. Michael Harrington. xiv-296 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-2481-9, 45€/US$66.
In Press
- DMTT, vol. 13.1: Ranulph Higden, “Speculum curatorum”/A Mirror for Curates, Book I: The Commandments. Introduction, Edition, and Translation by Eugene Crook and Margaret Jennings. Ca. xv-417 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-2487-1;
- DMTT, vol. 14: Robert Grosseteste at Munich: The “Abbreviatio” by Frater Andreas, O.F.M., of the Commentaries by Robert Grosseteste on the Pseudo-Dionysius.Edition, Translation, and Introduction by James McEvoy. Prepared for Publication by Philipp W. Rosemann. Ca. x-131 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-2560-1;
- DMTT, vol. 15: Boncompagno da Signa, Amicitia and De malo senectutis et senii. Edition, Translation, and Introduction by Michael W. Dunne. Ca. ix-166 pp., ISBN 978-90-429-2608-0.
Dominican Father Juan José Herrera shares the news of his recently published book, La simplicidad divina según santo Tomás de Aquino. This study contains a preface by Fr. Serge-Thomas Bonino (available here, with an English précis here). An excerpt:
In the first section, focused mainly on the historical aspect, Father Herrera contextualizes the third question [of the Prima pars] by outlining the history of the problem of the divine simplicity in Latin theology, updating the sources - both distant and close - of St. Thomas´ reflection and measuring the impact of Greco-Arab philosophy on Aquinas´ reflection. In the second section, more focused on doctrine, he gathered with precision and clarity the theoretical elements that allow for a better understanding of the critical points of St. Thomas´ teaching on the divine simplicity. This sound erudition is never lost in the unimportant but further contributes to the understanding of Aquinas´ metaphysic and theological thinking. Following this rich commentary step by step, will help the reader encounter a precise, solid and rich knowledge about St. Thomas´ thinking on this essential question.
Some philosophers of the analytical tradition fail in applying in a strict way the logical rules of human language to St. Thomas´ discourse about God without taking into account neither its theological context nor its metaphysic foundations; thus, preventing a correct reading of St. Thomas´ texts. Father Herrera´s merit of confronting the objections that the contemporary analytical philosophers – avid of philosophical theology – pose on the subject of the divine simplicity is not minor. He arrives at the wise conclusion that the misunderstanding is radical and it´s originated in the very core: How and according to which methods and categories must Aquinas be read if we want to truly understand him?
The full table of contents for this volume is available on the publisher’s page.
CUA Press has just released a Festschrift for Msgr. John F. Wippel titled The Science of Being as Being: Metaphysical Investigations edited by Gregory T. Doolan. From the publisher’s blurb:
Scholars present studies on key philosophical and historical issues in the field. Though varied, the investigations address three major metaphysical themes: the subject matter of metaphysics, metaphysical aporiae, and philosophical theology.
Contributors are Robert Sokolowski, Dominic O’Meara, Jan A. Aertsen, Andreas Speer, Gregory T. Doolan, Jorge Gracia, James Ross, Stephen F. Brown, John F. Wippel, Brian J. Shanley, Eleonore Stump, and Marilyn McCord Adams. The publisher’s page is here. The papers in this volume were first presented as lectures at CUA’s School of Philosophy. Videos of the 2008 lectures by Brown, O’Meara, Ross, Shanley, Sokolowski, and Speer are online.
Thanks to The Catholic University of America Press and translator, Fr. Bernhard Blankenhorn, O.P., a fascinating new collection of essays by noted Aquinas scholar, Fr. Jean-Pierre Torrell, O.P., is now available in English. This is the second volume in the new Thomistic Ressourcement Series.
The essays in the volume treat diverse aspects of Aquinas’ theology, including: theology and sanctity, friendship, charity, prayer and Aquinas’ spirituality, configuration to Christ, the priesthood, and preaching. Throughout the text Fr. Torrell carefully underscores the deep and pervasive union of faith, spirituality, and scientific rigor in Aquinas’ approach to theology.
The Annual Maynooth Aquinas Lecture Series began in 1995 and was founded by the late Professor James McEvoy. This second volume arising from the conference series contains papers on a variety of Thomistic topics.
On Wednesday, July 27th we posted an announcement about a new volume on Aquinas’ disputed question, De unione verbi incarnati. Below is the first installment of an interview with the author, translator, and editor of the volume, German scholar Prof. Dr. Klaus Obenauer.
Thomistica.net: tell us a little bit about yourself, your education, research interests, and your teaching.
Dr. Obenauer: I am a so called Research Assistant at the Faculty for Catholic Theology of the University of Bonn. This position is sustained by the “German Research Society” (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [DFG]).
I teach Dogmatic Theology in Bonn and (temporarily) in Cologne.
My primary field of research is what we call the “Constitutional-Christology” of St. Thomas and his School. My specific projects in this area include: St. Thomas’ De unione (now completed and published in the volume that we discuss below). Currently I am researching the contributions of a few select great Thomists: Bernhard of Auvergne, Capreolus, Cajetan, Bánez, and The Salmanticenses.
As a systematic theologian I am drawn to a thomistically “orientated” metaphysics: the possibility of a critical foundation of such a metaphysics (with some free adaptation and personal development of the Continental Transcendental Thomism) was the subject of my second thesis, what we call here the “habilitation thesis.”
Thomistica.net: How did you become interested in the De unione project?
Dr. Obenauer: Potius casu et fortuna. - And: After having worked on Aquinas’ metaphysics in my habilitation thesis, my interests became focused on the crucial problems of Constitutional Christology.
Thomistica.net: Tell us a little bit about the preparation of the critical edition of the Latin text.
Dr. Obenauer: Apart from the concrete (and final) redaction which always entails that difficult judgments be made, the preparation of the Latin text was in no way based solely on my merits. I am in deep gratitude to Fr. Adriano Oliva, Ph.D., who is currently head of the Leonine Commission. Fr. Oliva gave me access to copies of the manuscripts that the members and cooperators of the Commission deemed most important.
The critical Latin text included in my volume on the De unione is the result of a process of collaboration, in which Fr. Walter Senner, Ph.D., who teaches at the Angelicum in Rome and who is a former member of Leonine Commission, along with his assistant, had the principal role in evaluating the manuscripts. We met for a series of sessions in which the manuscripts were collated for critical evaluation.
Thomistica.net: Do you know anything about the current status of the Leonine Commission’s work on the De Unione? And, will there be any relationship between your text and the work of the Commission on the De Unione?
Dr. Obenauer: As I noted in the previous question, Frs. Oliva and Senner were extremely helpful in my work on the De unione, but there is no formal relationship between my text and the Commission. Furthermore, as you probably understand, it would be indiscreet for me to say more than that I am aware of existing preparatory works on the text by the Commission. And, I think that a Leonine Edition of De unione is not to be expected, at least in the next several years.
Thomistica.net: Can you mention one or two aspects of the Latin text in your volume that you think scholars and students of Aquinas will find particularly interesting?
Dr. Obenauer: Apart from the supplementary passages in DU 1 ad15 - presented already by Deloffre in her volume on the De unione (Paris: Vrin, 2000), which I discuss more in part 2, - the most surprising fact is that the 13th and 14th-century manuscripts, which we consulted, with respect to article 4 use “sustentificare” instead of “substantificare.” This is a significant change, say, from the common text published in the Marietti edition. It appears three times in the third paragraph of the body of article 4. In this group of manuscripts there is but one exception to this usage.
The only parallel, known up to now with regard to the critical editions, is the Qu. quodl. 3,2,2(/4) arg/ad1 (also christological context!). In addition: It´s also not completely impossible that the respective preliminary passage in the corpus of article 3 has to be improved in favour of “vel secundum formam accidentalem vel secundum substantiam,” instead of “substantia-lem”.
The second part of this interview is forthcoming.
Under the direction of the Sacra Doctrina Project
