The Tao of Thomas Aquinas

This is the shorter of two books by Matthew Fox on Thomas Aquinas that will appear in this year. The longer one is entitled Sheer Joy, structured around conversations on his notion of creation spirituality. As Rupert Sheldrake observes in his endorsement, the insights of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) 'have been hidden behind a fog of scholastic and near scholastic commentary and interpretation.' This book – subtitled 'fierce wisdom for hard times' - brings Aquinas alive in a way relevant to contemporary social and philosophical concerns. Each of the 31 chapters is a direct quote from Aquinas himself with an explanation and commentary. These are strikingly brought together at the end in a format resembling the Tao and representing a condensation of the whole message.

Here are some sample chapter headings: the greatness of the human person consists in this: that we are capable of the universe; joy is the human's noblest act; religion is supreme thankfulness or gratitude; the first and primary meaning of salvation is this: to preserve things in the good; every being is a name for God – and no being is the name for God; the proper objects of the heart are truth and justice; compassion is the fire that Jesus came to set on the earth; and finally one especially for our time – conscience is more to be obeyed then authority imposed from the outside. These are striking and direct, with a central emphasis on truth, justice, wisdom, virtue and compassion. Centrally, Matthew brings out how Aquinas combines the outer prophetic function of interference with the inner mystical focus on love and a silent heart expressed as magnanimity. However, he also writes that 'a trustworthy person is angry at the right people, for the right reasons, expresses it in the appropriate manner and for an appropriate length of time.' This can be moral outrage at injustice, bringing within the energy for social change and, as we are currently seeing with the riots in the US. I would recommend readers to sign up for Matthew's daily meditations.