The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times, Paperback

We have been considering the essence of Aquinas' teachings about our spiritual journey toward wisdom and justice and compassion and away from dullness and indifference and, in his words, folly. He says: "Folly implies apathy in the heart and dullness in the senses...For sapiens (wise) as Isidore says 'is so named from sapor (savor), because just as the taste is quick to distinguish between savors of meats, so too a wise person is quick in discerning things and causes.' Thus it is clear that folly is opposed to wisdom as its contrary...the fool has the sense, though dulled, whereas the wise person has the sense acute and penetrating."

Matthew Fox, spiritual theologian, Episcopal priest, and activist for gender and eco-justice, has written 37 books, including Original Blessing, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, Meister Eckhart: A Warrior for Our Times, and The Order of the Sacred Earth. His honors include the Ghandi King Ikeda Award and the Abbey Courage of Conscience Peace Award (other recipients include the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and Rose Parks). He leads workshops and retreats worldwide and resides in Vallejo, California.