Summa of the Christian Life: Books I-II

In the Summa of The Christian Life collection, Fr. Jordan Aumann, OP, presents an assortment of excerpts—arranged according to the topics of the Summa Theologica—from Venerable Louis of Granada’s greatest works, including his Book of Prayer and Meditation, Sinner’s Guide, Memorial of the Christian Life, Introduction to the Creed, and Compendium and Explanation of Christian Doctrine.

One of the most prominent and exceptional spiritual teachers of the sixteenth century, Venerable Louis stands as a master of the spiritual life throughout the whole Christian tradition. Born in extremely poor circumstances, Louis and his widowed mother subsisted on alms gathered from outside the gate of a Dominican priory. Eventually, Louis became a Dominican himself, and began a career of preaching that resulted, at length, in traveling throughout Spain and Portugal. He attained—despite the humble friar’s best efforts—various posts in the Order of Preachers and served at courts of nobles and the queen regent of Portugal. He was offered bishoprics and the cardinalate, but he declined all offers.

He was accused unjustly by the Spanish Inquisition of heresy but was later vindicated by the Council of Trent and the witness of subsequent saints. Indeed, he counts among his readers and recommenders such pillars of sanctity as St. Rose of Lima, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Charles Borromeo, and St. Francis de Sales, who recommended Venerable Louis’s work be read as a “second Breviary.” Venerable Louis’s Sinner’s Guide has been compared to The Imitation of Christ for its breadth, intensity, and usefulness for devotion and has been translated into many languages. But Venerable Louis’s primary mission, quite unusually for his time, was to write and preach for the laity. Indeed, he writes on difficult topics with a rare combination of simplicity and depth, such that they can be easily grasped. Let, then, the words of this venerable Spanish preacher illuminate your heart with the light of Christ, speaking, as it were, straight from the bosom of the Master.

Three Titles in this Series:

Books 1–2: The Existence and Perfections of God, The Marvels of Creation

Books 3–5: The Quest for Happiness, The Theological Virtues, The Moral Virtues

Books 6–8: Christ, Our Redeemer, The Sacraments, The Last Things

Fr. Jordan Aumann, OP, (1916–2007) was Director of the Institute of Spirituality at the Angelicum in Rome. The author of eight books, Aumann was an internationally recognized authority on spiritual theology.