Fr. C John McCloskey, research fellow at the Faith and Reason Institute, recently reviewed Sam Gregg’s Tea Party Catholic at the National Catholic Register. In “Life, Liberty and Faith,” McCloskey says, “Gregg builds an argument for free economy and human flourishing that is a must-read, regardless of your political affiliation or whether you are Catholic or a serious Christian concerned about the rapidly diminishing religious liberty in the United States.”
McCloskey points out at the book focuses on the only Catholic founding father, Charles Carroll. He quotes a letter that Carroll wrote to James McHenry, “Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time.” The review continues:
In short, Carroll is telling McHenry (and us), that, for a free country to flourish or even survive over the centuries, its populace has to live a Christian life and strive to follow the commandments and the beatitudes as they come down to us from Scripture, based on the authority of the Catholic Church (even though Carroll does not mention Catholicism by name in the letter to McHenry).
Gregg argues for a return to the concept of subsidiarity for human flourishing.
He writes, “Though an important form of social organization, government is only one of a number of communities and should not displace or absorb the responsibilities properly assumed by individuals, businesses, clubs and other forms of non-state association. Subsidiarity tells us we should not automatically look to government. … When no other group can render assistance in the appropriate form of help, the state may need to become involved.”
Gregg makes his case well that only religiously derived morals, faith and economic liberty can bring the United States out of the death spiral in which it is caught.
Spread the word.
Read the entire review here. For a free excerpt and more information about the book, visit TeaPartyCatholic.com
