Gradus Ad Angelicum : A Graded Latin Reader of the Summa Theologiae of St. Thomas Aquinas

Gradus ad Angelicum invites readers to encounter the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas in his own language. Conceived as a graduated reader—"steps toward the Angelic Doctor"—this volume guides students who already possess an intermediate command of Latin and a basic understanding of Thomistic thought. Drawing directly from the Summa theologiae and its Supplementum, the text leads learners through a carefully arranged sequence of selections that mirror the structure of Aquinas’s masterpiece: from God and creation, to the moral and spiritual life, to Christ, true God and true man.

Each passage has been lightly adapted to introduce new vocabulary and syntax with clarity and precision, while concise footnotes elucidate difficult expressions and theological terms.

Repetition and internal cross-reference reinforce comprehension at every stage.

More than a Latin textbook, Gradus ad Angelicum serves as a formation in reading Aquinas philosophically and theologically. It enables students to move beyond translation toward genuine engagement with the Doctor’s own reasoning, style, and spirit. The result is an elegant bridge between language study and the living tradition of scholastic theology.