Summa Theologica (Selections) book club questions

1. 1.

   Aquinas argues that reason and faith are compatible. Where in contemporary life do you see them treated as rivals, and does his framing help or complicate that debate?

2. 2.

   The Five Ways argue from observable features of the world to a first cause and governing intelligence. Which of the five do you find most and least persuasive — and why?

3. 3.

   Natural law holds that basic moral truths are accessible to human reason regardless of religious belief. Do you find that claim convincing? What would count as evidence for or against it?

4. 4.

   Aquinas says virtues are stable dispositions formed by habit. Think of a virtue you have actually developed over time. What was the mechanism — what made the habit stick?

5. 5.

   Prudence (practical wisdom) is, for Aquinas, the master virtue that allows all others to function. What would it mean to cultivate prudence — and how does it differ from mere cleverness?

6. 6.

   Aquinas takes Aristotle's ethics seriously but insists natural virtue is insufficient without grace. What does he think Aristotle gets right, and where does he depart?

7. 7.

   The Summa's method requires stating the opposing argument as strongly as possible before rebutting it. How would public discourse change if that norm were followed?

8. 8.

   Aquinas distinguishes acts that are intrinsically evil from acts that are wrong only in context. Do you find that distinction useful — can you give examples from your own moral thinking?

9. 9.

   He argues that law is an ordinance of reason directed toward the common good by whoever has charge of the community. What follows for the obligation to obey unjust laws?

10. 10.

    Aquinas writes in a very specific medieval Christian context, yet his influence extends to secular jurisprudence and international law. Which parts of his thought seem most transferable outside that context?

11. 11.

    The Summa was left unfinished. Does the incompleteness of the greatest systematic work in Western theology say something important about the limits of system-building?

12. 12.

    Which of the virtues Aquinas analyzes do you think modern culture most needs — and most lacks?

How to run the discussion

• Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
• Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
• Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
• Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.