Bibliotheca Catholicaa library of libraries
Support
Summa Theologiae · I, q. 12

Question 12. How God Is Known by Us

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, First Part. 13 articles.

Read in the reading room → This question at New Advent

Text: Summa Theologiae, Project Gutenberg #17611, First Part (Prima Pars), translated by the Fathers of the English Dominican Province. The First Part of the Summa in the English Dominican translation (first printed 1911 to 1925; second and revised edition from 1920). A sample check on 2026-11-09 against pre-1931 printings at the Internet Archive (first printings of 1915 and 1916 and the second and revised edition of the 1920s) found that the article text matches, with no 1947 introduction, synopsis, or index. The phrase “From the Complete American Edition” in Gutenberg's catalog title is a provenance note only. Question and article numbers were added by the transcriber. Rights: Public domain (US)

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

As hitherto we have considered God as He is in Himself, we now go on to consider in what manner He is in the knowledge of creatures; concerning which there are thirteen points of inquiry:

(1) Whether any created intellect can see the essence of God?

(2) Whether the essence of God is seen by the intellect through any created image?

(3) Whether the essence of God can be seen by the corporeal eye?

(4) Whether any created intellectual substance is sufficient by its own natural powers to see the essence of God?

(5) Whether the created intellect needs any created light in order to see the essence of God?

(6) Whether of those who see God, one sees Him more perfectly than another?

(7) Whether any created intellect can comprehend the essence of God?

(8) Whether the created intellect seeing the essence of God, knows all things in it?

(9) Whether what is there known is known by any similitudes?

(10) Whether the created intellect knows at once what it sees in God?

(11) Whether in the state of this life any man can see the essence of God?

(12) Whether by natural reason we can know God in this life?

(13) Whether there is in this life any knowledge of God through grace above the knowledge of natural reason?

Articles

  1. Whether Any Created Intellect Can See the Essence of God?
  2. Whether the Essence of God Is Seen by the Created Intellect Through an Image?
  3. Whether the Essence of God Can Be Seen with the Bodily Eye?
  4. Whether Any Created Intellect by Its Natural Powers Can See the Divine Essence?
  5. Whether the Created Intellect Needs Any Created Light in Order to See the Essence of God?
  6. Whether of Those Who See the Essence of God, One Sees More Perfectly Than Another?
  7. Whether Those Who See the Essence of God Comprehend Him?
  8. Whether Those Who See the Essence of God See All in God?
  9. Whether What Is Seen in God by Those Who See the Divine Essence, Is Seen Through Any Similitude?
  10. Whether Those Who See the Essence of God See All They See in It at the Same Time?
  11. Whether Anyone in This Life Can See the Essence of God?
  12. Whether God Can Be Known in This Life by Natural Reason?
  13. Whether by Grace a Higher Knowledge of God Can Be Obtained Than by Natural Reason?

Also online, linked only: the same translation at New Advent and the Latin text at Corpus Thomisticum. Neither is copied here.

Source: Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica, First Part. Project Gutenberg #17611. Project Gutenberg record. Public domain in the USA. Outside the U.S., check local copyright rules. Project Gutenberg notices retained. The full Project Gutenberg license is kept in the hosted text.