The Summa Contra Gentiles was composed by Thomas Aquinas between 1259 and 1265, in four books broadly covering teachings on God, on Creation, on Providence, and on tenets specific to Christianity. This Summa is not to be confused with his final Summa, the Summa Theologiae. The latter is specifically "theological" and directed to a Christian audience (hence Summa "Theologica"), whereas the former, as the "Contra Gentiles" indicates, is directed toward "non-Christian" thinkers. Implicitly a defence of the Catholic Christian faith, the first three books constitute a sort of rational apology of Christian thought, where philosophical arguments are deployed to defend Christian beliefs and usually only evoke Scripture in a latter instance to show its concordance with these largely-rational conclusions; the fourth book, however, is theological in character given that its content deals primarily with topics derived from Christian revelation. Although Thomas Aquinas certainly aims to discredit pagan, Jewish, Muslim or Christian-"heretical" positions incompatible with the Catholic Christian religion in this work, at the same time he incorporates whatever is salvageable from their thought, thus often quoting in his favor the very authors he discredits on other positions: therefore the "Contra Gentiles" of this Summa is not to be understood as an outright rejection of non-Christian thought, but rather as a sort of "rational purification" unto its Catholic assimilation, in disposing open minds to revealed Christian truths. (Summary by M.S.C. Lambert, LC)
Chapters
1 I. CONNECTION OF THE FOREGOING WITH THE SEQUEL 4 min 2 II. THAT THE CONSIDERATION OF CREATURES IS USEFUL FOR BUILDING UP OUR FAITH 5 min 3 III. THAT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATURE OF CREATURES AVAILS FOR REFUTING ERRORS AGAINST GOD 5 min 4 IV. THAT THE PHILOSOPHER AND THE THEOLOGIAN TREAT OF CREATURES IN DIFFERENT WAYS 4 min 5 V. ORDER OF THE THINGS TO BE SAID 1 min 6 VI. THAT IT BECOMES GOD TO BE THE SOURCE OF BEING TO OTHER THINGS 4 min 7 VII. THAT IN GOD THERE IS ACTIVE POWER 3 min 8 VIII. THAT GOD'S POWER IS HIS SUBSTANCE 3 min 9 IX. THAT GOD'S POWER IS HIS ACTION 2 min 10 X. IN WHAT WAY POWER IS ASCRIBED TO GOD 2 min 11 XI. THAT SOMETHING IS SAID OF GOD IN RELATION TO CREATURES 2 min 12 XII. THAT RELATIONS SAID OF GOD IN REFERENCE TO CREATURES ARE NOT REALLY IN GOD 4 min 13 XIII. HOW THE AFORESAID RELATIONS ARE PREDICATED OF GOD 3 min 14 XIV. HOW THE AFORESAID RELATIONS ARE PREDICATED OF GOD 2 min 15 XV. THAT GOD IS TO ALL THINGS THE CAUSE OF BEING 9 min 16 XVI. THAT GOD BROUGHT THINGS INTO BEING OUT OF NOTHING 12 min 17 XVII. THAT CREATION IS NEITHER MOVEMENT NOR CHANGE 3 min 18 XVIII. HOW TO SOLVE THE OBJECTIONS AGAINST CREATION 3 min 19 XIX. THAT IN CREATION THERE IS NO SUCCESSION 6 min 20 XX. THAT NO BODY CAN CREATE 5 min 21 XXI. THAT IT BELONGS TO GOD ALONE TO CREATE 11 min 22 XXII. THAT GOD CAN DO ALL THINGS 8 min 23 XXIII. THAT GOD DOES NOT ACT OF NATURAL NECESSITY 9 min 24 XXIV. THAT GOD WORKS ACCORDING TO HIS WISDOM 5 min 25 XXV. HOW THE ALMIGHTY IS SAID TO BE UNABLE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS 10 min 26 XXVI. THAT THE DIVINE INTELLECT IS NOT CONFINED TO CERTAIN DETERMINED EFFECTS 5 min 27 XXVII. THAT THE DIVINE WILL IS NOT CONFINED TO CERTAIN EFFECTS 2 min 28 XXVIII. HOW THERE IS ANYTHING DUE IN THE PRODUCTION OF THINGS 8 min 29 XXIX. HOW THERE IS ANYTHING DUE IN THE PRODUCTION OF THINGS 6 min 30 XXX. HOW THERE CAN BE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY IN CREATED THINGS 17 min 31 XXXI. THAT IT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR CREATURES TO HAVE BEEN ALWAYS 6 min 32 XXXII. ARGUMENTS OF THOSE WHO WISH TO PROVE THE ETERNITY OF THE WORLD FROM GOD'S SIDE OF THE QUESTION 10 min 33 XXXIII. ARGUMENTS OF THOSE WHO WOULD PROVE THE ETERNITY OF THE WORLD FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF CREATURES 8 min 34 XXXIV. ARGUMENTS TO PROVE THE ETERNITY OF THE WORLD FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE MAKING 5 min 35 XXXV. SOLUTION OF THE FOREGOING ARGUMENTS, AND FIRST OF THOSE THAT WERE TAKEN FROM THE STANDPOINT OF GOD 11 min 36 XXXVI. SOLUTION OF THE ARGUMENTS PRODUCED ON THE PART OF THE THINGS MADE 6 min 37 XXXVII. SOLUTION OF THE ARGUMENTS TAKEN FROM THE MAKING OF THINGS 7 min 38 XXXVIII. ARGUMENTS BY WHICH SOME ENDEAVOUR TO PROVE THAT THE WORLD IS NOT ETERNAL 8 min 39 XXXIX. THAT THE DISTINCTION OF THINGS IS NOT FROM CHANCE 7 min 40 XL. THAT MATTER IS NOT THE FIRST CAUSE OF THE DISTINCTION OF THINGS 5 min 41 XLI. THAT THE DISTINCTION OF THINGS IS NOT ON ACCOUNT OF A CONTRARIETY OF AGENTS 11 min 42 XLII. THAT THE FIRST CAUSE OF THE DISTINCTION OF THINGS IS NOT THE ORDER OF SECONDARY AGENTS 9 min 43 XLIII. THAT THE DISTINCTION AMONG THINGS DOES NOT RESULT FROM SOME SECONDARY AGENT INTRODUCING VARIOUS FORMS INTO MATTER 7 min 44 XLIV. THAT DISTINCTION AMONG THINGS DID NOT RESULT FROM THE DIVERSITY OF MERITS OR DEMERITS 14 min 45 XLV. WHAT IS IN TRUTH THE FIRST CAUSE OF THE DISTINCTION OF THINGS 7 min 46 XLVI. THAT FOR THE PERFECTION OF THE UNIVERSE IT WAS NECESSARY THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME INTELLECTUAL CREATURES 7 min 47 XLVII. THAT INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCES ARE CAPABLE OF WILLING 6 min 48 XLVIII. THAT INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCES ARE OF FREE-WILL IN ACTING 6 min 49 XLIX. THAT THE INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCE IS NOT A BODY 7 min 50 L. THAT INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCES ARE IMMATERIAL 6 min 51 LI. THAT THE INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCE IS NOT A MATERIAL FORM 3 min 52 LII. THAT IN CREATED INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCES THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING AND WHAT IS 8 min 53 LIII. THAT IN CREATED INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCES THERE IS ACT AND POTENTIALITY 3 min 54 LIV. THAT COMPOSITION OF SUBSTANCE AND BEING IS NOT THE SAME AS COMPOSITION OF MATTER AND FORM 5 min 55 LV. THAT INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCES ARE INCORRUPTIBLE 17 min 56 LVI. IN WHAT WAY IT IS POSSIBLE FOR AN INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCE TO BE UNITED TO THE BODY 11 min 57 LVII. THE OPINION OF PLATO CONCERNING THE UNION OF THE INTELLECTUAL SOUL WITH THE BODY 11 min 58 LVIII. THAT THE NUTRITIVE, SENSITIVE, AND INTELLECTIVE FACULTIES IN MAN ARE NOT THREE SOULS 12 min 59 LIX. THAT MAN'S POSSIBLE INTELLECT IS NOT A SEPARATE SUBSTANCE 12 min 60 LX. THAT MAN DERIVES HIS SPECIES NOT FROM THE PASSIVE, BUT FROM THE POSSIBLE INTELLECT 23 min 61 LXI. THAT THE AFORESAID OPINION IS CONTRARY TO THAT OF ARISTOTLE 4 min 62 LXII. AGAINST THE OPINION OF ALEXANDER ABOUT THE POSSIBLE INTELLECT 10 min 63 LXIII. THAT THE SOUL IS NOT A TEMPERAMENT, AS GALEN ASSERTED 4 min 64 LXIV. THAT THE SOUL IS NOT A HARMONY 3 min 65 LXV. THAT THE SOUL IS NOT A BODY 5 min 66 LXVI. AGAINST THOSE WHO SAY THAT INTELLECT AND SENSE ARE THE SAME 3 min 67 LXVII. AGAINST THOSE WHO SAY THAT THE POSSIBLE INTELLECT IS THE IMAGINATION 3 min 68 LXVIII. HOW AN INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCE CAN BE THE FORM OF THE BODY 9 min 69 LXIX. SOLUTION OF THE ARGUMENTS BY WHICH IT WAS PROVED ABOVE THAT AN INTELLECTUAL SLBSTANCE CANNOT BE UNITED TO THE BODY AS ITS FORM 7 min 70 LXX. THAT ACCORDING TO THE WORDS OF ARISTOTLE WE JUST SAY THAT THE INTELLECT IS UNITED TO THE BODY AS ITS FORM 5 min 71 LXXI. THAT THE SOUL IS UNITED TO THE BODY IMMEDIATELY 3 min 72 LXXII. THAT THE WHOLE SOUL IS IN THE WHOLE BODY AND IN EACH PART THEREOF 6 min 73 LXXIII. THAT THERE IS NOT ONE POSSIBLE INTELLECT IN ALL MEN 30 min 74 LXXIV. OF THE OPINION OF AVICENNA, WHO ASSERTED THAT INTELLIGIBLE FORMS ARE NOT PRESERVED IN THE POSSIBLE INTELLECT 12 min 75 LXXV. SOLUTION OF THE ARGUMENTS WHICH WOULD SEEM TO PROVE THE UNITY OF THE POSSIBLE INTELLECT 19 min 76 LXXVI. THAT THE ACTIVE INTELLECT IS NOT A SEPARATE SUBSTANCE BUT PART OF THE SOUL 17 min 77 LXXVII. THAT IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE POSSIBLE AND ACTIVE INTELLECT TO CONCUR IN THE ONE SUBSTANCE OF THE SOUL 8 min 78 LXXVIII. THAT ARISTOTLE'S OPINION CONCERNING THE ACTIVE INTELLECT WAS NOT THAT IT IS A SEPARATE SUBSTANCE, BUT RATHER THAT IT IS PART OF THE SOUL 14 min 79 LXXIX. THAT THE HUMAN SOUL IS NOT CORRUPTED WHEN THE BODY IS CORRUPTED 12 min 80 LXXX. ARGUMENTS TO PROVE THAT THE SOUL IS CORRUPTED WHEN THE BODY IS CORRUPTED 7 min 81 LXXXI. ARGUMENTS TO PROVE THAT THE SOUL IS CORRUPTED WHEN THE BODY IS CORRUPTED 13 min 82 LXXXII. THAT THE SOULS OF DUMB ANIMALS ARE NOT IMMORTAL 15 min 83 LXXXIII. THAT THE HUMAN SOUL BEGINS TO EXIST WITH THE BODY 31 min 84 LXXXIV. SOLUTION OF THE FOREGOING ARGUMENTS 6 min 85 LXXXV. THAT THE SOUL IS NOT MADE OF GOD'S SUBSTANCE 7 min 86 LXXXVI. THAT THE HUMAN SOUL IS NOT TRANSMITTED WITH THE SEMEN 8 min 87 LXXXVII. THAT THE HUMAN SOUL IS BROUGHT INTO BEING THROUGH CREATION BY GOD 6 min 88 LXXXVIII. ARGUMENTS FOR PROVING THAT THE HUMAN SOUL IS FORMED FROM THE SEMEN 9 min 89 LXXXIX. SOLUTION OF THE FOREGOING ARGUMENTS 24 min 90 XC. THAT AN INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCE IS UNITED AS A FORM TO NO OTHER THAN THE HUMAN BODY 11 min 91 XCI. THAT THERE ARE SOME INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCES WHICH ARE NOT UNITED TO BODIES 10 min 92 XCII. OF THE GREAT NUMBER OF SEPARATE SUBSTANCES 12 min 93 XCIII. THAT THERE ARE NOT SEVERAL SEPARATE SUBSTANCES OF ONE SPECIES 4 min 94 XCIV. THAT THE SEPARATE SUBSTANCE AND THE SOUL ARE NOT OF ONE SPECIES 3 min 95 XCV. HOW WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND GENUS AND SPECIES IN SEPARATE SUBSTANCES 6 min 96 XCVI. THAT SEPARATE SUBSTANCES DO NOT GATHER THEIR KNOWLEDGE FROM SENSIBLES 9 min 97 XCVII. THAT THE INTELLECT OF A SEPARATE SUBSTANCE ALWAYS UNDERSTANDS ACTUALLY 3 min 98 XCVIII. HOW ONE SEPARATE SUBSTANCE UNDERSTANDS ANOTHER 19 min 99 XCIX. THAT SEPARATE SUBSTANCES KNOW MATERIAL THINGS 4 min 100 C. THAT SEPARATE SUBSTANCES KNOW SINGULARS 5 min 101 CI. WHETHER SEPARATE SUBSTANCES KNOW ALL THINGS AT THE SAME TIME BY THEIR NATURAL KNOWLEDGE 3 min
