---
title: "Summa Theologica, Second Half"
author: "Thomas Aquinas"
translator: "Fathers of the English Dominican Province"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Medieval"
section: 186 of 935
url: https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-second-half/186/
cite: "Thomas Aquinas, tr. Fathers of the English Dominican Province, Summa Theologica, Second Half, section 186. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-second-half/186/"
---

# Summa Theologica, Second Half

*Thomas Aquinas, tr. Fathers of the English Dominican Province*

Courage and temperance, the states of life, then Christ, the sacraments and the last things.

## 186. II–II · Question 185: Of Things Pertaining to the Episcopal State (eight Articles)

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-second-half/186/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-second-half/186/#p-N

[¶0] OF THINGS PERTAINING TO THE EPISCOPAL STATE (EIGHT ARTICLES)

[¶1] We must now consider things pertaining to the episcopal state. Under this head there are eight points of inquiry:

[¶2] (1) Whether it is lawful to desire the office of a bishop?

[¶3] (2) Whether it is lawful to refuse the office of bishop definitively?

[¶4] (3) Whether the better man should be chosen for the episcopal office?

[¶5] (4) Whether a bishop may pass over to the religious state?

[¶6] (5) Whether he may lawfully abandon his subjects in a bodily manner?

[¶7] (6) Whether he can have anything of his own?

[¶8] (7) Whether he sins mortally by not distributing ecclesiastical goods to the poor?

[¶9] (8) Whether religious who are appointed to the episcopal office are bound to religious observances?