Lectura Thomasina. Distinctiones 23-44 libri Secundi

The Lectura Thomasina of William of Peter of Godin (ca. 1260-1336) is a key text for understanding the early reception of Thomas Aquinas’ thought. The work is not a simple compilation, but the first attempt to systematize Aquinas’ thought by responding to precise historical and theoretical requirements: Godin focuses on certain issues on the agenda in the theological debate of those years, particularly around the criticism and condemnations of some of Aquinas’ controversial theses, and conversely he neglects or completely omits other topics. The second half of the second book (dist. 23-44), edited in the present volume, thus presents a sometimes unbalanced structure: Godin dwells at length on some issues, e.g., the obedience of underlings to their superiors, while addressing others in a very hasty, not to say superficial manner, e.g. the question as to whether God can create a being that is free and unable to sin. This unevenness, however, is closely related to the nature of the work itself. Godin wrote the Lectura not to provide the schools of the Order of Preachers with a systematic rereading of the entire thought of Thomas, but rather as a tool to approach his most innovative and sometimes problematic doctrines.