Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life - eBook

Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., is the archbishop of Denver, a Capuchin Franciscan, and a former member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. He lives in Denver, Colorado. He is the author, previously, of Living the Catholic Faith: Rediscovering the Basics.

In one of his most memorable sayings ("render unto Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and to God the things that belong to God"), Jesus instructed his followers to recognize that their deepest religious commitments had inevitable and life-changing political implications. Using Jesus' saying as his foundation, Chaput, the outspoken Archbishop of Denver, urges all Catholics to stand up for their faith in public life. Every person who meets an American Catholic, he says, should come away "knowing that they have met a true Catholic." True Catholics, he observes, work for political justice and the common good and believe that Jesus Christ, the Gospel, and the Church are central to the religious lives that enable them to act with love toward society. While many critics will challenge his assertion that the American belief in the sanctity of individual rights depends on a God who guarantees those rights, Chaput nevertheless challenges Catholics to put their faith into practice thoughtfully and deliberately. (Aug. 12) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

Advance Praise for Render unto Caesar

“Using arguments from history as well as the wisdom of the world’s greatest thinkers, Archbishop Chaput urges Catholics to live our faith without compromise and to use our faith as the foundation for renewing American society in the twenty-first century. His tone is one of ‘now or never,’ and his presentation is crisp, intelligent, and accessible to a wide audience. This is an important book for Catholics to read and consider if we are truly to make a difference in the public square. Archbishop Chaput has made a unique and significant contribution to the Church and the nation at a time when voices like his are needed to be raised and heard.”
—Very Reverend David M. O’Connell, C.M., President, The Catholic University of America

“At a time when the ‘faith and values’ vote has never been more important, Archbishop Charles Chaput deftly explores the intersection of morality, reason, and politics. This isn’t just a book for Catholics, but for anyone who cares about the state of America’s soul —and how that concern might shape the 2008 elections.”
—John L. Allen Jr., NCR and CNN senior Vatican correspondent