Etienne Gilson was born in Paris in 1884. He became Professor of Medieval Philosophy at the Sorbonne in 1921, and from 1932 until his retirement in 1951 he held a similar chair at the College de France. From 1929 until his death in 1978 he was associated with the Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto.

"[The volume presents] L. K. Shook's English translation of the final version of the late Etienne Gilson's (1884–1978) classic overview of the Christian Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas. . . . Gilson was one of the pioneers, in the early part of this century, of medieval philosophy in general and the work of Aquinas in particular. He sought to restore to the study of Aquinas' texts an historical sensitivity, thus rescuing them from the near canonical status accorded in the well-intentioned but inhibiting late 19th-century Papal revival of Thomistic studies and preserved in the so-called 'manual theology' of the seminar curriculum. . . . The endnotes are an invaluable resource as is the still unsurpassed Catalogue of Aquinas' works compiled by Eschmann and included as an invaluable Appendix here. . . . This volume is an essential yet inexpensive buy and its republication by Notre Dame is a welcome initiative." —Theological Book Review"[A]s the only English version of any edition of Le Thomisme, and therefore for years a kind of manual for North American students approaching Aquinas, the book deserves re-circulation. With it appears the masterful 'Catalogue of St. Thomas' Works' prepared by the Rev. I.T. Eschmann to accompany Shook's translation and available nowhere else. . . . [I]ts overview of principles and conclusions in the history of the texts has not been surpassed." —The Philosophical Quarterly"The reader needs to pay close attention throughout, but to its subject he will find no clearer or more comprehensive introduction. Gilson's veneration for St. Thomas is profound." —Theology"Gilson is remarkably clear on what Aquinas means by being, substance, and essence. Further, the chapters on ethics were quite moving at times." —Puritan Board"Not only is the Church not against science but science is the only source of truth aside from revelation – a gift of God to both religious and secular mankind. It should therefore be at the centre of the Church's orbit, and in the Church's dealings with the secular world, as a common trusted language. Also, church-state separation makes no sense if science can be used by both church and state as both should come to the same conclusions in keeping with natural law, since natural law is written in everyone's heart." —Catholic Herald