Dr. Raymond Dennehy was a delight to talk to about the work and influence of 20th century French philosopher Jacques Maritain.  Ignatius Press has published in a special one volume set,  Maritain’s “Christianity and Democracy and the Rights of Man and the Natural Law”, which  provides key insights for Christians in shaping the political and social orders.

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Jacques Maritain was one of the principal exponents of Thomism, the philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas, in the modern world. He lived for many years in the United States, and taught at Princeton University and Columbia University. After WWII, he served as the French ambassador to the Vatican. He also helped draft the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).

 You can find the book here

• “Maritain was one of the pioneers of the Catholic human rights revolution, which changed the course of 20th century politics. While helping the Church through a genuine development of social doctrine, Maritain helped forge some of the tools that eventually broke through the Berlin Wall.” – George Weigel, Ethics and Public Policy Center

“In these passionate words one encounters the mind of Maritain in all its vigor and variety. His reflections on the challenges facing the world’s democratic experiments – starkly realistic yet infused with Christian hope – are as timely today as they were seventy years ago.” – Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard University

“This has been one of my all-time favorite ‘David books’ – those little books that take down Goliaths. Almost single-handedly, Maritain launched a hypothesis on the Christian (and Jewish) origins of the foundational axioms of democracy, of which many atheists are now coming to admit the truth. The sheer power of his hypothesis is more evident with every passing year. The republication of this classic is therefore bound to kindle longing for a deeper, more just reevaluation.” – Michael Novak, American Enterprise Institute

It’s always a joy to talk with Fr. Robert Spitzer!  With his latest book , “Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues” he has brought solid philosophy that is easy to read and understand.  Not just for those who are interested in a prolife discussion, the “Ten Universal Principles” is perfect for anyone who wishes to grow in the use of faith and reason.  Fr. Spitzer addresses many questions including:  How do we make sense of life?  How should we treat others?  How should we reasonably be expected to be treated by others? When human life is at stake, are there reasonable principles we can rely on to guide our actions?  How should our laws be framed to protect human life? What kind of society should be built?

The Four Levels of Happiness described in the last section is worth it’s weight in gold.

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The Four Levels of Happiness^®

Happiness is the only goal that people pursue for its own sake, which makes it an ideal lens for explaining why people and organizations behave as they do. The Four Levels of Happiness model shows leaders how to elevate the powerful drive for happiness and direct it toward shared goals, strong ethics, and great performance. Click here for a full description of the Four Levels.

 

 

You find the book here

You can listen to more Fr. Spitzer as he discusses the “5 Pillars of the Spiritual Life” on the Inside the Pages interview #56

A shining example of how reason and science can lead to faith. Dr. Kevin Vost is a cradle Catholic, who fell into aethism at the age of 17.  He would stay there for over 2 decades, until gradually through reasoned enlightenment (showered with God’s grace)  the fallacy in aethistic philosophy was revealed and the glory of real Truth became known.  Wonderful read…the journey really can be made from the head to the heart, just ask Dr. Kevin Vost!

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Pick up a copy of Kevin’s book

Be sure to visit Dr.  Kevin Vost’s website