A History of Catholic Political Philosophy
By (Author) Professor Michael J. Sweeney
By (author) Professor Timothy Sean Quinn
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ABC-CLIO
27th November 2025
United States
Professional and Scholarly
Non Fiction
Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church
Religion and politics
At different points in its history, Catholicism has been accused either of lacking any genuine interest in political philosophy or of advancing a monolithic and authoritarian program. The overall goal of all three volumes is not to defend Catholic thought against these charges, but to raise the question: What is a Catholic political philosophy Or, more radically: Is there a Catholic political philosophy Are there many Catholic political philosophies Each of the three volumes treats a different period in the history of Catholic political philosophy with an eye to these questions: the first, from Augustine to Marsilius of Padua; the second, from Thomas More to Leo XIII; and the third, from the early papal statements of the twentieth century to Pope Francis. Each volume seeks to present the principal works of these authors for reconsideration by contemporary readers, in order to urge an encounter with the originality of their contribution to political philosophy.
Michael J. Sweeney is Professor of Philosophy at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. His books, essays, and articles are principally in the areas of medieval Christian and Islamic philosophy and political philosophy.
Timothy Sean Quinn holds the rank of Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio. Recent publications include essays, books, and translations of Heidegger, Salomon Maimon, Kant, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Nietzsche and Fides et Ratio.