Kris McGregor speaks with Peter Kreeft about his book Practical Theology: Spiritual Direction from St. Thomas Aquinas. He describes spending over a year immersed in the Summa Theologiae, discovering how deeply practical St. Thomas Aquinas’s theology is and how well it unites clear thinking with everyday moral and spiritual life. For Dr. Kreeft, the aim of spiritual direction is sanctity, and St. Thomas Aquinas serves as a guide who helps people connect intellect and action, avoiding the modern habit of separating emotion from reason or spirituality from concrete responsibility.

The book covers themes such as freedom and grace, conscience, virtue, humility, and the reality of good and evil, all presented as part of a meaningful drama rather than abstract theory. St. Thomas Aquinas holds together mystery and order, justice and mercy, divine action and human cooperation, showing that God’s work deepens human freedom rather than replacing it. The book touches on baptism, the sacraments, the last things, and the cultural temptation toward vague spirituality detached from real choices and sacrifice. St. Thomas Aquinas emerges as both brilliant and simple, offering durable wisdom that cuts through confusion and invites trust, discipline, and love as the foundation of the spiritual life.

1. How does St. Thomas Aquinas challenge me to unite clear thinking with concrete choices in my daily spiritual life?
2. In what ways have I separated intellect and prayer, and how might bringing them together deepen my growth in holiness?
3. How do I understand the role of conscience and free will in cooperating with God’s grace?
4. Where do I notice the tension between justice and mercy in my own judgments and relationships?
5. How aware am I of the reality of good and evil as an active struggle in my moral decisions?
6. What does humility look like for me in trusting God when His ways do not fit my expectations?
7. How does my participation in the sacraments, especially baptism, shape the way I live out my faith each day?
8. In what areas of my life am I tempted by a vague or comfortable spirituality rather than committed discipleship?

In this unique work, Peter Kreeft brings together 358 useful, everyday insights from St. Thomas Aquinas’ masterpiece the Summa Theologiae. He pairs these easily digestible quotes from the Summa with his own delightfully written commentary in order to answer the kinds of questions real people ask their spiritual directors. These 358 passages from the Summa have helped Kreeft in his own struggles to grow closer to the Lord. His practical, personal, and livable advice is the fruit of his labors to apply the insights of Aquinas to his own quest for sanctity, happiness, and union with God.

Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy at Boston College, is one of the most respected and prolific Christian authors of our time. His books cover a vast array of topics in spirituality, theology, and philosophy. They include Doors in the Walls of the World, The Greatest Philosopher Who Ever Lived, How to Be Holy, Because God Is Real, You Can Understand the Bible, and Summa of the Summa.