Catholic Intellectuals and the Challenge of Democracy - by Jay P Corrin (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

In this sweeping volume, Corrin discusses the influences of Cecil and G. K. Chesterton, H. A. Reinhold, Hilaire Belloc, and many others on the development of Catholic social, economic, and political thought, with a special focus on Belloc and Reinhold as representatives of reactionary and progressive positions, respectively. He also provides an in-depth analysis of Catholic Distributists' responses to the labor unrest in Britain prior to World War I and later, in the 1930s, to the tragedy of the Spanish Civil War and the forces of fascism and communism.

From the Back Cover

"A fascinating study of the distinctly varying perspectives of early-twentieth-century intellectuals consciously moved by Catholic principles. Corrin's careful analysis shows that thinkers like Belloc, Chesterton, H. A. Reinhold, and Luigi Sturzo defy easy categorization. An excellent guide to their different responses to issues like the Spanish Civil War." --John P. McCarthy, professor of history and Director, Institute of Irish Studies, Fordham University

"Professor Corrin has produced an informative, balanced, and insightful study of the Catholic Church's liberal or progressive voices from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. This book is required reading for anyone reflecting on how the Church should relate to the contemporary world." --Robert Krieg, professor of theology, University of Notre Dame

"Professor Corrin's book is a significant contribution to our understanding of the Catholic reaction to the modern world, and particularly to the cataclysmic events of the 1920s and 1930s. Corrin succeeds splendidly in bringing to light the activities of a small and oft-ignored group of progressive Catholics struggling against reactionary critics to show the world that Church teaching was not hostile to democracy. The author's wide reading in the sources and his clear explanatory style make this work necessary reading for anyone who wants to understand Catholic thought as an essential element in the entire fabric of intellectual discourse on the problems of democracy and of the poor." --Jose Sanchez, professor of history at Saint Louis University and author of The Spanish Civil War as a Religious Tragedy

Jay P. Corrin is Chairman and Professor of the Division of Social Science in the College of General Studies at Boston University. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including G.K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc: The Battle against Modernity.

Review Quotes

"[Corrin] has done a tremendous amount of research into primary sources, and the extensive documentation is impressive. He provides an engaging treatment of English Catholics in general and Belloc in particular, and splendid treatment of the Spanish Civil War. . . . [Corrin] has written a rewarding volume filled with colorful characters, insightful comments on well-known events, and revealing information on more obscure chapters in the tale of Catholic thinkers and democracy." --Theological Studies

"Corrin meticulously follows the development of some of the most significant progressive American and European Catholic thinkers on politics and social issues. He reliably assesses their contributions, carefully establishing the background against which they acted." --Choice

"Jay P. Corrin's new book is a major contribution to the study of Catholic intellectuals and their varying responses to these issues in the century following the French Revolution. Thoroughly researched, the book provides a comprehensive view of the Catholic intellectual scene in Europe and America through the prism of the personalities and events that shaped their thinking. Catholic intellectuals brings to light an important part of Catholic intellectual history that societies like the United States, in which Catholics comprise the largest single religious denomination, should revisit." --Crisis Magazine

-[Corrin] has done a tremendous amount of research into primary sources, and the extensive documentation is impressive. He provides an engaging treatment of English Catholics in general and Belloc in particular, and splendid treatment of the Spanish Civil War. . . . [Corrin] has written a rewarding volume filled with colorful characters, insightful comments on well-known events, and revealing information on more obscure chapters in the tale of Catholic thinkers and democracy.- --Theological Studies

-Corrin meticulously follows the development of some of the most significant progressive American and European Catholic thinkers on politics and social issues. He reliably assesses their contributions, carefully establishing the background against which they acted.- --Choice

-Jay P. Corrin's new book is a major contribution to the study of Catholic intellectuals and their varying responses to these issues in the century following the French Revolution. Thoroughly researched, the book provides a comprehensive view of the Catholic intellectual scene in Europe and America through the prism of the personalities and events that shaped their thinking. Catholic intellectuals brings to light an important part of Catholic intellectual history that societies like the United States, in which Catholics comprise the largest single religious denomination, should revisit.- --Crisis Magazine

[Corrin] has done a tremendous amount of research into primary sources, and the extensive documentation is impressive. He provides an engaging treatment of English Catholics in general and Belloc in particular, and splendid treatment of the Spanish Civil War. . . . [Corrin] has written a rewarding volume filled with colorful characters, insightful comments on well-known events, and revealing information on more obscure chapters in the tale of Catholic thinkers and democracy. Theological Studies"

Corrin meticulously follows the development of some of the most significant progressive American and European Catholic thinkers on politics and social issues. He reliably assesses their contributions, carefully establishing the background against which they acted. Choice"

Jay P. Corrin s new book is a major contribution to the study of Catholic intellectuals and their varying responses to these issues in the century following the French Revolution. Thoroughly researched, the book provides a comprehensive view of the Catholic intellectual scene in Europe and America through the prism of the personalities and events that shaped their thinking. Catholic intellectuals brings to light an important part of Catholic intellectual history that societies like the United States, in which Catholics comprise the largest single religious denomination, should revisit. Crisis Magazine"

About the Author

Jay P. Corrin is professor of social sciences at Boston University. His book Catholic Intellectuals and the Challenge of Democracy (University of Notre Dame Press, 2002) won the American Catholic Historical Association's John Gilmary Shea Prize in 2003.