Abstract

The article conducts a detailed textual analysis of the arguments raised in Thomas Rourke's recent book, A Conscience as Large as the World: Yves R. Simon Versus the Catholic Neoconservatives. Rourke contends that Michael Novak, Richard John Neuhaus and George Weigel part company with the Catholic tradition by defending liberalism. Rourke seeks to demonstrate this through a comprehensive comparison of the neoconservative's corpus with the thought of Yves Simon. A detailed study of the relevant texts demonstrates that the book's best arguments are raised against positions which none of the neoconservatives have ever held. Ultimately, Rourke, while making an important contribution to Simon scholarship, fails to prove his thesis.