John Paul II to Aristotle and Back Again

Have you ever struggled to explain the basics of a Christian worldview, particularly as it concerns God's existence and his relation to the natural order, the basics of morality, even sexual ethics? Utilizing the thought of the late Pope John Paul II and the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, Dr. Andrew Swafford has done just this. This book explains the philosophical underpinnings of a Christian worldview–in a way that is accessible to the general reader–discussing God's existence, faith and reason, a tour through a virtue-ethics which leads to authentic happiness (and discussing the seven deadly sins along the way), as well as John Paul II's teaching on the ""language"" of the body and the meaning of the human vocation to make a gift of one's self. The reader will come away with a deep understanding of the philosophical foundations for the Christian life. ""With the publication of Nature and Grace: A New Approach to Thomistic Ressourcement, Andrew Dean Swafford was introduced as an interesting and insightful thinker of the new Thomistic renewal. In his eminently accessible John Paul II to Aristotle and Back Again, Swafford shows us how the designs of nature fit into God's design for the happy life. Because human persons, authentic virtue, and true freedom matter, this book matters."" –Cajetan Cuddy, Parochial Vicar, St. Joseph's Church in Greenwich Village ""Here is winsome wisdom and uncommon commonsense about good and evil and the meaning of life. All high school seniors and college freshmen should read it. It is a little look at the 'big picture' of the good life, both natural and supernatural, and the perfect 'fit' between these two dimensions. Putting Aristotle and St. John Paul II together is a marriage made in heaven."" –Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy, Boston College ""In this work, Swafford rightly exhorts us to 'spend more time explaining our paradigm than simply engaging in arguments aimed at persuasion.' Open this book and step into that worldview–a paradigm that sheds light on God, virtue, friendship, and sexuality, and leads us on the true path to human happiness."" –Edward Sri, Professor of Theology, Augustine Institute Andrew Swafford holds a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the University of St. Mary of the Lake and an MA in Old Testament and Semitic Languages from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of Nature and Grace: A New Approach to Thomistic Ressourcement and contributing author to Divinization. Currently, he is an assistant professor of Theology at Benedictine College in Atchison, KS where he resides with his wife and four children.