Recommended Reading List of Manuals in Philosophy and Theology

If you become a patron at www.patreon.com/MilitantThomist you can get access to the works I edit in PDF. Also, you can help me out so that I am able to have more time to edit and print these manuals, and write theology that draws from their pages (also, it furthers future projects, such as audiobooks and translations I wish to engage in).

As a quick note, I am an Amazon Affiliate, so, please do use the links provided. Most of these works can be found in PDF on Archive.org if you wish to have a scanned copy.

The bold texts are those I have closely read, vetted, and typeset (or will be)

Also, if you can think of any works I forgot, please do not hesitate to email me at MilitantThomist@gmail.com

Finally, this list will be expanded as I do more work, so please do keep an eye out and sign up for my email list (on the pop-up that comes up on "home").

Philosophy Manuals

N.B., I have been writing a series of catechisms on philosophical topics to more widely disseminate scholastic philosophy: Logic.

Further, I have been recording introductory courses in philosophy that follows Fr. Coppen's: Logic.

• Entire Course

  • Charles Coppens: Brief Text-Book of Logic (typeset) and Brief Text-Book of Mental Philosophy (typeset)

    • These two books are the perfect little introduction and overview of scholastic philosophy (“mental philosophy” covers cosmology, metaphysics, psychology, natural theology, etc.). Each can be profitably read and digested by anyone in a few hours. It provides all the philosophical material that a theologian will need at a high school reading level.

  • Br. Louis: Elementary Course of Christian Philosophy (Kindle completed, others in progress)

    • Favorite philosophical manual of Bl. Pope Pius IX. Intermediate. Not to be undertaken without basic background in philosophy.

  • A Manual of Modern Scholastic Philosophy, Volume I-II (in progress)

    • Compilation of the series of manuals done at Louvain by Cardinal Mercier. Highly regarded by all. intermediate.

  • Augustin Louage: A Course of Philosophy: Embracing Logic, Metaphysics and Ethics

  • Walter H. Hill, S.J.: Elements of Philosophy Comprising Logic and Ontology: or General Metaphysics

  • Louis Jouin, S.J.: Logic and Metaphysics

  • J. De Concilio: The Elements of Intellectual Philosophy

  • Paul J. Glenn: An Introduction to Philosophy

  • R. P. Phillips: Modern Thomistic Philosophy (Vol. 1, 2)

  • Henri Grenier: Thomistic Philosophy (Vol. 1, 2, 3)

  • Edouard Hugon (only Cosmology has been translated)

  • Paul J. Glenn: Dialectics, Criteriology, Ontology, Cosmology, Psychology, Theodicy, Ethics

  • Woodbury: Basic Morals, Ostensive Metaphysics, Defensive Metaphysics, Natural Philosophy, Ethics, Logic, Psychology, Natural Theology

  • Michael Shallo: Lessons in Scholastic Philosophy

• Ethics

  • John Joseph Ming: The Data of Modern Ethics Examined (in progress)

  • John Rickaby: Moral Philosophy, or, Ethics and Natural Law by Rickaby (in progress)

  • Michael Cronin: The Science of Ethics (vol. 1, vol. 2)

  • Conway: The Fundamental Principles of Christian Ethics

  • William Humphrey, S.J., Conscience and Law or Principles of Human Conduct.

  • William Poland: Fundamental Ethics. An ethical analysis, conducted by way of question and answer for use in classes of Moral Philosophy

• Politics/Economics

  • Charles Devas: Political Economy (in progress)

  • Woodbury: The Foundations of Political Theory (in progress)

  • --------The Alternative to Socialism and Spurious Capitalism: Natural Capitalism

• Metaphysics

  • Fr. John Rickaby: General Metaphysics (typeset)

    • Intermediate Introduction to metaphysics. This text dives deeper into certain metaphysical concepts and arguments between various schools. Recommended after a basic introductory text, or for students with a background in philosophy.

  • Thomas Harper: The Metaphysics of the School, 3 Volumes (in progress)

  • Peter Coffey, Ontology

  • John F. McCormick: Scholastic Metaphysics

• Logic

  • George Hayward Joyce: Principles of Logic

  • Richard F. Clarke: Logic

  • Peter Coffey, The Science of Logic, Volume I and Volume II

  • Jaime Balmes, Elements of Logic (132)

  • William Poland. Rational Philosophy. The Truth of Thought or Material Logic. A Short Treatise on the Initial Philosophy, the Groundwork Necessary for the Consistent Pursuit of Knowledge.

  • Cornoldi: Lectures on Scholastic Philosophy

  • Joseph, An Introduction to Logic

  • Welton: A Manual of Logic, Volume I and II

    • Questions on Logic, A Companion to Welton's Manual of Logic

  • Mellone: An Introductory Text-book of Logic

  • Thomas Crumley: Logic: Deductive and Inductive

  • William Jevons: Elementary Lessons in Logic

  • H.W.B. Jospeh: An Introduction to Logic

  • William Turner: Lessons in Logic

Epistemology

• Peter Coffey: Epistemology, Volume I and Volume II

• Rickaby: The First Principles of Knowledge (typeset)

• Psychology

  • Maher: Psychology (in progress)

  • John T. Driscoll: Christian Philosophy: A Treatise on the Human Soul

  • Robert Brennan: Thomistic Psychology

• Natural Theology

  • Francis Aveling: The God of Philosophy (typeset)

    • An analysis of proofs for the existence of God.

  • Boedder: Natural Theology (in progress)

  • Maurice Ronayne: God Knowable and Known

  • John T. Driscoll: Christian Philosophy: God

  • Woodbury: Existence of God (in progress)

• Physics

  • Fr. Giovanni Cornoldi: The Physical System of St. Thomas (typeset)

    • Series of lectures by Fr. Cornoldi, one of the initiators of the Neo-Thomistic revival. Specifically covers Thomistic physics (broadly, what we would call “physical science,” i.e., chemistry and physics), and its interactions with recent scientific discoveries.

Theology Manuals

• Dogmatic/Scholastic Theology

  • Fr. Charles Coppens: A Systematic Study of the Catholic Religion (typeset)

    • A theological manual intended for use in Catholic High Schools. It offers a clear and concise overview of the content traditionally covered in manuals for beginners.

  • Fr. Sylvester Joseph Hunter: Outlines of Dogmatic Theology (all typeset), Volume 1 (hardcover, paperback); Volume 2 (hardcover, paperback); Volume 3 (hardcover, paperback)

    • Wonderful beginner-intermediate manual that retains an understandable style, yet provides longer, more detailed explanations than Coppens and provides more biblical/patristic support.

  • Joseph Wilhelm and Thomas B. Scannell, A Manual of Catholic Theology: Based on Scheeben’s “Dogmatik,” (2 Volumes in 1, kindle completed, rest in progress)

    • Intermediate manual that is concise, yet begins to introduce the more complicated particulars of scholastic theology, yet is understandable.

  • Fr. Joseph Pohle: Dogmatic Theology (all typeset and 50% off): The Sacraments (Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4); Grace; Soteriology; God (Volume 1, Volume 2); Christology; Eschatology; The Trinity; Mariology (some in progress)

    • Intermediate-Advanced manual that begins to introduce more complicated topics and offers a more rigid style. Yet, this should be understood by anyone with effort.

  • Sacrae Theologiae Summa: IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IVA, IVB

    • Most comprehensive manual of Catholic Theology written in the mid-20th century. For particularly advanced students with previous reading in the manuals.

  • Wilmer: Handbook of the Christian Religion

  • Tanquerey: Manual of Dogmatic Theology

  • Fr. Lagrange: Reality

  • Berthier: A Compendium of Theology: Comprising the Essential Doctrinal Points of Both Dogmatic and Moral Theology, Together with the Important Notions of Canon Law, Liturgy, Pastoral and Mystical Theology, and Christian Philosophy, Vol. I, II, III

  • Van Noort: Dogmatic Theology, Volume I, II, III (volumes IV-X are not translated)

  • Ludwig Ott: Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma

  • Theology Library: Introduction to Theology, God and His Creation, Man and His Happiness, Virtues and States of Life, The Historical and Mystical Christ, Christ in His Sacraments

  • Scheeben: Handbook of Catholic Dogmatics

• Apologetics

  • Fr. F.J. Koch: A Manual of Apologetics (typeset)

    • Traditional overview of apologetics in manual format. Seeks to give the reasons for belief and defends against objections. Basic work which most should be able to read without extensive background knowledge.

  • Fr. Francis Aveling: The God of Philosophy (typeset)

    • An analysis of proofs for the existence of God.

  • Richard Clarke: The Existence of God: A Dialogue (typeset)

    • Very unique work that pairs well with Aveling’s. It offers arguments for the existence of God in a dialogue format, going toe-to-toe with some of the best arguments found in continental Atheistic philosophy. Probably overkill for the New Atheist types. Easy to read.

  • Walter Devivier: Christian Apologetics; a Defense of the Catholic Faith

  • Paul Schanz: A Christian apology: Volume I, II, III

  • Franz Xavier Jos: A Manual of Apologetics

  • Devivier: Christian Apologetics: A Rational Exposition and Defense of the Catholic Religion, in 2 volumes

  • Thomas Walshe: Principles of Christian Apologetics

  • Paul J. Glenn: Apologetics

  • Woodbury: Apologetics (in progress)

  • —St. Thomas’ Proof of God from Motion (in progress)

  • ----Com. in Prima Pars, Q. 1-2 (in progress)

  • Fr. Lagrange: God, His Existence and Nature, Vol. I, II

• Moral Theology

  • Fr. Charles Coppens: Brief Text-Book of Moral Theology (typeset)

    • The Moral Theology companion volume of his brief text-books on logic and mental philosophy. Like the other two, it provides an overview on all the traditional topics of moral theology at a high school reading level.

  • John J. Elmendorf: Elements of Moral Theology (in progress)

  • Francis J. Connell: Outlines of Moral Theology

  • Heribert Jone: Moral Theology

  • Dominic Prümmer, Handbook of Moral Theology (in progress)

  • Henry Davis: Moral and Pastoral Theology, Volume I, II, III, IV,

  • Antony Koch and Arthur Preuss: A Handbook of Moral Theology, Volume I-III, IV, V

  • John C. Ford and Gerald Kelly, Contemporary Moral Theology, Volume I, II

  • A Manual of Moral Theology for English-Speaking Countries, Volume I, II

  • Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities, by John A. McHugh, O.P. and Charles J. Callan, O.P., revised and enlarged by Edward P. Farrell, O.P. (in progress)

• Mystical/Ascetical Theology

  • Arthur Devine: A Manual of Ascetical Theology: or, The Supernatural Life of the Soul on Earth and in Heaven

  • —A Manual of Mystical Theology, or, The Extraordinary Graces of the Supernatural Life Explained

  • P.J. Stockman: Manual of Christian Perfection

  • Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange: Three Ages of the Interior Life

• Fundamental Theology (N.B., many dogmatic theologies begin with a treatise on fundamental theology, particularly important is the Sacrae Theologiae Summa’s and Van Noort, further, many books of apologetics can qualify as books of fundamental theology)

  • Brunsmann: Handbook of Fundamental Theology in 4 Vol.

    • Almost Impossible to find, if you can find, please let me know.

  • Fenton: Laying the Foundation: A Handbook of Catholic Apologetics and Fundamental Theology

  • ​​Guy Mansini: Fundamental Theology (Sacra Doctrina)

  • Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange: On Divine Revelation Vol. I, II

    • Highly recommended

• Individual Loci (to be completed at a future date)