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

This new book by Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver concerns living an authentic and faithful Catholic life in the public sphere today. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has received widespread attention for his bold statements on everything from abortion to the war in Iraq. As the nation readies itself for the 2008 elections, he presents an invaluable roadmap for Catholics struggling with the competing claims on their loyalty to faith and country. Render Unto Caesar redefines the relationship between personal morality and the public sphere. Strongly defending the right of religious people to express and act on their beliefs in the public square, Chaput urges Catholics to take an active part in national debates and work toward establishing a government based on America’s founding moral values rather than on party loyalties and political expediency. Chaput stakes out a new political territory, blending a classically Christian reverence for life, including that of the unborn child, with a new urgency for serving the poor, fostering peace, and building the common good. In a style both engaging and vigorous, he expresses the frustration of many people who feel that their priorities have been ignored by both Republicans and Democrats, and shows why the dual commitment to faith and democracy is the key to revitalizing our nation’s highest ideals. About the Author: The Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., is the Archbishop of Denver, a Capuchin Franciscan, and a former member of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. 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