Medieval trinitarian thought from Aquinas to Ockham /

Few doctrines of the Christian faith are as puzzling as the Trinity, and few have generated as much theological discussion. This discussion, though present in the writings of early Church Fathers, reached a crescendo in the High Middle Ages. In this highly specialized yet decidedly accessible work, Friedman (Katholieke Univ. Leuven) provides an overview of Trinitarian thought in the Latin West during the 13th and 14th centuries, with special focus given to the metaphysics of identity and distinction in the Trinity (chapters 1 and 4) and the Augustinian "psychological model" of the Trinity (chapters 2 and 3). Philosophers discussed include Thomas Aquinas, John Duns Scotus, Henry of Ghent, and William of Ockham. Ample space also is devoted to less prominent (though no less important) thinkers, including Peter Auriol, Francis of Marchia, Walter Chatton, and Gregory of Rimini. For those interested in learning about or deepening their understanding of later-medieval Trinitarian thought, this is a crucial resource. It includes a bibliography of primary sources, an annotated bibliography of secondary sources, and an appendix listing the major elements in Franciscan and Dominican Trinitarian theologies. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. F. A. Grabowski Rogers State University