Thomas More: Why Patron of Statesmen? [Paperback]

The year 2015 marks the fifteenth anniversary of Thomas Mores becoming Patron Saint of Statesmen and Politicians. Yet during these years no serious answer has been given by a community of scholars as to why More would be the choice of over 40,000 leaders from ninety-five countries. What were Mores guiding principles of leadership and in what ways might they remain applicable? This collection of essays addresses these questions by investigating More through his writings, his political actions, and in recent artistic depictions.Travis Curtright is research fellow of the Center for Thomas More Studies at the University of Dallas and associate professor of humanities and literature at Ave Maria University.

I appreciate the strengths of a fine volume that will benefit many different audiences. . . .The volume's illumination of More's life, writings, and historical reception deserves the attention of all scholars and teachers--Catholic and non-Catholic alike. . . .The book successfully addresses these many audiences by having a wide variety of fine essays. Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Quarterly

In 2000 Pope John Paul II proclaimed St. Thomas More to be the patron of statesmen and people in public life. And yet scholarly investigations of Mores principles of statesmanship are still relatively few. In commissioning and editing this often stimulating collection of essays, Travis Curtwright seeks to fill the gap. He and his fellow contributors, several connected to the Center for Thomas More Studies at the University of Dallas, aim to revive interest in More by distilling from his writings and life experiences the very essence of this subtle, steely individual who began as a commercial lawyer and moral philosopher and ended up as Henry VIIIs only honest councilor. It is an approach that in the wrong hands could become clumsily instrumentalist and teleological. Fortunately, these contributors know the pitfalls and largely avoid them&. By writing Utol³(