Guillelmi Petri de Godino Lectura Thomasina. Prologus et Distinctiones 1-27 libri Primi

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.