Summa Theologiae · I, q. 2
Question 2. The Existence of God
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, First Part. 3 articles.
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)
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Because the chief aim of sacred doctrine is to teach the knowledge of God, not only as He is in Himself, but also as He is the beginning of things and their last end, and especially of rational creatures, as is clear from what has been already said, therefore, in our endeavor to expound this science, we shall treat:
(1) Of God;
(2) Of the rational creature's advance towards God;
(3) Of Christ, Who as man, is our way to God.
In treating of God there will be a threefold division, for we shall consider:
(1) Whatever concerns the Divine Essence;
(2) Whatever concerns the distinctions of Persons;
(3) Whatever concerns the procession of creatures from Him.
Concerning the Divine Essence, we must consider:
(1) Whether God exists?
(2) The manner of His existence, or, rather, what is not the manner of His existence;
(3) Whatever concerns His operations--namely, His knowledge, will, power.
Concerning the first, there are three points of inquiry:
(1) Whether the proposition "God exists" is self-evident?
(2) Whether it is demonstrable?
(3) Whether God exists?