Father Robert Spitzer lays out coherent arguments, backed by secular studies, for why following the Church’s teachings on morality is essential for human flourishing
SAN FRANCISCO — Jesus said, “The truth will set you free” (Jn. 8:31). The truth, long hidden by the forces of our increasingly secularized culture, is that if we reject the moral teachings of Jesus and the Catholic Church, we can expect a significant decline in emotional health and relational health, in addition to spiritual wellbeing. We may also expect a significant weakening of marital satisfaction and longevity as well as family stability.
In the final volume of his Called Out of Darkness trilogy, THE MORAL WISDOM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: A DEFENSE OF HER CONTROVERSIAL MORAL TEACHINGS, Father Robert Spitzer lays bare the theological and philosophical roots of Catholic morality, using secular statistical studies to demonstrate that these teachings, even from a scientific standpoint, help people to flourish.
Father Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., is the president of the Magis Center of Reason and Faith and the Spitzer Center. He was the president of Gonzaga University from 1998 to 2009. He is the author of many books, including Healing the Culture, Finding True Happiness, Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life, The Light Shines On in the Darkness, The Soul’s Upward Yearning, and God So Loved the World.
Gathering data from universities, general psychiatry, medical institutes and general survey organizations such as Pew Research, Gallup Research and Harris Poll, THE MORAL WISDOM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH shows that going against foundational Christian doctrines, from marriage to the sanctity of unborn life, leads to significant increases in depression, anxiety, substance abuse, familial tensions and suicidal contemplation. The numbers speak for themselves.
In THE MORAL WISDOM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, Father Spitzer aims to provide Catholics with everything they need to speak credibly, effectively and persuasively about the most controversial issues, including abortion, the homosexual lifestyle, gender identity and sex change, artificial birth control, pornography, physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia, invitro fertilization, torture, eugenics, suicide, embryonic stem cell research and self-defense.
“The deep foundations of the Church’s moral teachings are philosophical and theological, but in an age in thrall to scientism it is not only useful but imperative to show that those teachings are also well-supported by social, scientific and other empirical considerations. Fr. Spitzer’s work is an important and welcome contribution to this enterprise,” said Edward Feser, professor of philosophy at Pasadena City College and author of Five Proofs of the Existence of God.
For more information, to request a review copy, or to schedule an interview with Father Robert Spitzer, please contact Kevin Wandra of Carmel Communications (404-788-1276 or [email protected]).
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