Reason, Faith, and the Struggle for Western Civilization

“Samuel Gregg poses the only question that matters: Can the West survive? It can, he concludes, but only by resorting to the radical measure of becoming, once again, itself. This book is a trumpet blast, calling an entire civilization to arise as from a trance—to true ‘wokeness.’ A magnificent achievement.” —Peter Robinson, former speechwriter to President Reagan and Murdoch Distinguished Policy Fellow at the Hoover Institution

“Understanding Western civilization’s present crisis involves grasping how and why the separation of reason and faith has left the West adrift. In this powerful book, Samuel Gregg shows that restoring faith and reason—fides et ratio—to their proper place is essential if the West is to rediscover itself and draw upon the best of its religious heritage and the Enlightenment’s achievements.” —James V. Schall, S.J. (1928-2019), professor emeritus, Georgetown University

“Samuel Gregg has put us all in his debt by recalling us to the fundamental truth—once obvious—that reason without faith is sterile. Reason, Faith, and the Struggle for Western Civilization is a masterly inquiry into what has made what we call ‘the West’ the dynamo that changed the world. The answer cannot be found in political innovation or technological prowess alone, but also involves a recognition of that horizon of transcendence that grounds reason and the whole Enlightenment project. This is a deep and authoritative inquiry into the resources that our civilization requires to succeed but which are everywhere under siege. Anyone who cares about the future of Western civilization should read this.” —Roger Kimball, editor and publisher, The New Criterion
 

“If you think ‘Enlightenment’ means only science, if you think Western civilization is only about politics and economics, or if you think faith and reason cannot coexist, then you need to read this book. What gave rise to the West, Samuel Gregg argues, was not just science, politics, or economics, but a vision of the human person that did not separate but integrated faith and reason. Gregg shows the way out of our spreading ‘pathologies of reason and faith,’ demonstrating the true nature, and limitations, of reason, its deep connection to faith, and their complementary roles. The benefits of Western civilization can be realized in no other way. Gregg shows us how they might be preserved not only for us but for future generations.” —James R. Otteson, Thomas W. Smith Presidential Chair in Business Ethics, professor of economics at Wake Forest University

“Faith and reason form the foundation of the optimistic outlook in Samuel Gregg’s book. He shows how reason unmoored in faith and faith detached from reason easily drift into forms of unequal treatment, denying our creation in the image of God, which anchors us in hope. From Genesis to Paul, Gregg shows that the arrow is from Truth to Freedom, through logos to ‘enlightenment.’ The West has flourished in this freedom. May it never be lost.” —Vernon L. Smith, 2002 Nobel laureate in Economics, Chapman University

“Samuel Gregg has written a clear, eloquent, and concise guide to the intellectual and spiritual currents, rooted in reason and faith, which inform Western civilization at its best. He does full justice to the West’s Jewish and Christian roots and their affirmation of reason’s ability to articulate freedom’s purposes. He also lauds the best currents of Enlightenment thought even as he warns against the ‘forces of destruction’ that increasingly impel the modern world toward tyranny and a soul-destroying nihilism. With impressive learning and grace, he shows his readers ‘a way back’ to the old verities that point the way toward a promising future. A must-read for all who care about the fate of a Western civilization rooted in truth and liberty.” —Daniel J. Mahoney, Assumption College, author of The Idol of Our Age: How the Religion of Humanity Subverts Christianity