Voting and Holiness: Catholic Perspectives on Political Participation

For many American Catholics, the election season turns into a wrenching time of spiritual extortion, in which political campaigners attempt to exploit the Catholic conscience in order to achieve victory at the polling booth. All too often, Catholic lay people and clergy go along with this, and hot-button political and social issues become litmus tests for fidelity to the Catholic faith. In the worst cases, threats to withhold the sacraments are directed at Catholics who have, in good conscience, put their support behind certain candidates.

Voting and Holiness is a collection of fifteen essays that tackle these issues directly. The authors outstanding Catholic scholars and theologians explain how the Catholic tradition is too rich and nuanced to be pigeonholed into single issues. Subjects covered include abortion, prudential judgment, the real meaning of intrinsic evil in the Catholic ethical tradition, the indispensability of social justice, and participation in political life as a genuine act of holiness.

This book will prepare Catholics for the inevitable firestorm of debate that draws in Catholics every election season, so that they can make their voting decisions as faithful People of God.

Highlights:
Addresses ethical questions that confront all faithful Catholics at election time.
Contributors are all excellent scholars and theologians.
Will be of great assistance to Catholics accused who feel tension between their political choices and their faith.
Should garner a certain amount of prominence among Catholic commentators during the upcoming 2012 election season.