A Civilization of Love

by Anderson, Carl

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"Anderson performs some intellectual heavy lifting in these pages; but at its core his message is utterly simple: Christians will make America into a culture of life and love more by their personal example than by political muscle. He artfully weaves theory and practice, giving us a rare specimen indeed: a practical guide for idealists." (John L. Allen, Jr., senior correspondent, National Catholic Reporter)

"Few elements of Catholic social teaching have more forcefully stated, or more regularly ignored, than our calling to bring Christian teachings to bear on social, political, and economic issues. Carl Anderson, the dynamic leader of the largest Catholic laymen's organization in the United States, seeks to bring that message home." (Mary Ann Glendon, Learned Hand Professor of Law, Harvard University)

"A Civilization of Love is a bracing call to a new American revolution: a revolution of virtue. By explaining why freedom must be tethered to truth and ordered to goodness, and by offering eminently practical suggestions for bringing truth and goodness into public life, Carl Anderson does all Americans a significant service. Give this book to friends who say there's nothing to be done to heal a wounded culture." (George Weigel, distinguished senior fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center)

Book summary

Carl Anderson, the Supreme Knight of the Catholic charitable fraternity the Knights of Columbus, writes passionately about how good Catholics, and good people everywhere, must resist what Pope John Paul II described as a "culture of death." For Anderson, the great debate of the 21st century is between those who value all human life--those who understand that we are all children of God--and those who place premiums on money, prestige, and status. From this perspective, Anderson decries untrammeled capitalistic materialism, the war in Iraq, and legalization of abortion. He feels that religious faith and moral charity need to extend to all aspects of modern life, including the economic, social, and political realms, in an effort to build a civilization based on the teachings of Jesus--a civilization of love. Writing with a strong grasp of historical, political, and ideological change, Anderson writes eloquently on a large range of topics: Nazism, communism, civil rights, existentialism, and the many crises of the contemporary world. Throughout, Anderson makes the case that a fundamental belief in the holy value of humanity can cut through the hate and violence of the world.