The so-called Lectura Thomasina, a commentary on Peter Lombard's
Sentences, was composed by the Dominican William of Peter of
Godin at the beginning of the 14th century. The manuscript tradition
provides the text with the title 'Thomasina' because of the large
number of verbatim quotations from Aquinas' writings. This text is not a
mere compilation of Aquinas' dicta, but represents an attempt to
outline the fundamental elements of Thomas' doctrine, giving them both
unity and coherence. For this reason, Godin's commentary is an important
witness to the reception of Aquinas' texts during the period between his
death and his canonization.
The critical edition of the Lectura Thomasina, presented here for
the first time, is based on an examination of the entire manuscript
tradition and is accompanied by an historical and philological
introduction.
In this part of his Sentences commentary (prologue and book I,
distinctions 1-27), Godin deals with some central themes of scholastic
theology, such as the scientific nature of theology, the knowledge of
God, divine attributes, the doctrine of the Trinity, divine relations,
the doctrine of caritas, the omnipotence of God, and the
predication of God's names. In addition to these theological questions,
the text contains a philosophical digression in distinction 8, where
Godin examines the distinction between essence and existence both in God
and in created beings.
