Sanctifying Truth

9 Preface Many saints, even those who have been canonized by the Church, remain hidden in the yellowing pages of sacred books. Thomas Aquinas, however, ranks among those saints who enjoy worldwide name recognition. In the course of their lives, most Catholics and many others have heard about this thirteenth-century scholar, theologian, and mystic. Students in many disciplines also come across the adjectival form of his name and the name of his school. This happens when they encounter some- thing or someone described as Thomist. Even the substantive, Thomism, has become familiar to scholars, not only of philosophy and theology, but also of law, art, and literature. Saint Thomas Aquinas’s reputation as a me- dieval scholar unfortunately persuades many Christians that only theologically educated peo- ple will find anything of spiritual worth in his life and work. This small book proposes to show that