The State in Catholic Thought: A Treatise on Political Philosophy

What is the role of the state in promoting human flourishing in light of unprecedented challenges to the very fabric of society? The State in Catholic Thought is a masterful survey of the development of the Church’s teaching on the relationships between the nation-state and individuals, families, and local and international communities. Rommen examines the state as a “moral organism” and its purpose in light of the natural law. In this tour de force of the contributions of Augustine, Aquinas, Suarez, Bellarmine, and popes through the ages, Rommen foreshadows the encyclicals of St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI and brings the light of Catholic thought to bear on today’s most pressing issues. Professor Bruce Frohnen’s Introduction sets Rommen and his work in political and intellectual context, brilliantly encapsulating Rommen’s analysis and the importance of his magnum opus in assisting readers to find the means of renewing a more just political and social order.