Thursday, August 24, 2006

An Elementary [sic] Christian Metaphysics

One of my friends from my time in Rome is Fr. Dan Gallagher, a priest of the Diocese of Gaylord, Michigan, who is currently "on loan" to Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.

In a recent conversation, Father mentioned that he's going to be teaching metaphysics this fall at the seminary, and said that the text he's assigning is An Elementary Christian Metaphysics by Fr. Joseph Owens. I'm just a few chapters into the work, and while it isn't the easiest read, it is worthwhile, and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.

For an idea of where Owens comes from, here's a line from the backcover blurb:
    Using original Thomistic texts and Etienne Gilson's interpretation of St. Thomas Aquinas, Owens examines the application of metaphysical principles to the issues that arise in a specifically Christian environment.
Again, a good introduction to metaphysics.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Burgy,

I didn't know you were back to blogging but its good to see you posting again. I'm going to take your suggestion and pick up this work on metaphysics.

Peter Sean said...

That book sounds good. Currently, I'm reading Father Most's Predestination, Grace and Salvific Will of God, which is very accessible to the lay - e.g., me - reader.

Anonymous said...

Not to sound stupid, but what are metaphysics anyway?

Unknown said...

Peter, another great book along those lines is _Predestination, Grace, and Free Will_ by M. John Farrelly, Westminster, Md: Newman Press, 1964. Its a *bit* more technical that Most's book, but still readable for the intelligent layman.

Unknown said...

ignorant redneck: metaphysics is the science of supersensible entities, and ultimately being itself.