Citizens Yet Strangers: Living Authentically Catholic in a Divided America

by Kenneth Craycraft

It's hard — and getting harder — to figure out the proper relationship between our Catholic Faith and American political life. Democrat, Republican, third party, or independent — how do we make sense of it all?

Citizens Yet Strangers resets the framework of how we engage with politics as Catholics. As author Kenneth Craycraft argues in this book, American Catholics have been more influenced by classical liberal political theory (of both the "conservative" and "liberal" variety) than by historic Catholic moral theology. While some incidental policy positions of the Democratic and Republican parties converge with Catholic moral teaching, for most Catholics, their respective positions are directed by their party affiliation, not by Catholic moral thought.

Ken Craycraft explains how Catholic theology transcends partisan politics, and he challenges Catholics to move away from the individualist liberal impulses of American political identity, whether on the left or the right. Avoiding the common clichés that prevent us from examining the role our faith should play in our public actions, this book dives deeper into the very way we orient our moral and political lives.

208 pages, Paperback

Published March 11, 2024

Reviews

[Brandon Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author makes a strong case that, as Catholics, we do not always fit within the liberal Protestantism foundation of the United States. He urges Catholics to view political discussions through the four pillars of Catholic social doctrine (dignity, solidarity, subsidiary, and the common good) rather than through a discussion of competing rights.

The book is approachable and Dr. Craycraft provides a sound logical argument for Catholics to view politics and political discourse using a different lens. This book is an excellent companion to Patrick Deneen’s How Liberalism Failed.

[Fr. Peter Calabrese · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book. In a way a primer on Catholic Social teaching. Briefer than Annett’s book and a bit less dogmatic in its policy analysis, Craycraft gives some solid food for thought regarding being citizens in the America of 20104 and beyond.
I especially liked his reflection on the Sabbath and leisure.
While I should not have been, I was a bit surprised by the concluding chapter addressing the relationship between Faith and Citizenship. He also addresses the necessity of voting especially in the context of choosing between unacceptable candidates.
A good resource for this election year

[Tyler Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to Catholic Social Teaching for a newbie who doesn’t have time to read the primary sources. Disagree with some of the author’s takeaways, but he tends to make it clear when he’s describing Church teaching vs how he tries to apply it.