Acton Line Samuel Gregg Remembers the Thoroughly Catholic Capitalist Michael Novak
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Aug 13, 2025 
Samuel Gregg, President at the American Institute for Economic Research, shares insights on the life of Michael Novak, a pivotal figure in Catholic thought and capitalism. They discuss the evolution of Catholic identity in 20th-century America and Novak's journey from journalist to public intellectual. Key topics include Novak's ideological shift from liberalism to a capitalist perspective, his critiques of liberation theology, and his lasting influence on the Acton Institute, enriched with personal anecdotes that highlight his passionate engagement with faith and economics.
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From Seminary To Public Intellectual
- Novak left the seminary and decided to become a writer, initially pursuing fiction and journalism.
- Covering the Second Vatican Council transformed his role into a public intellectual explaining the council to English-speaking audiences.
Vatican II: Openness With Limits
- The Open Church presented Vatican II as opening Catholicism to modernity while retaining teaching authority.
- Novak balanced sympathy for conservative figures with optimism about constructive engagement with the modern world.
Political Shift Toward Capitalism
- Novak began as a Democratic progressive but grew disillusioned as the party and culture shifted in the 1960s–70s.
- He then embraced capitalism as a solution to economic decline affecting blue-collar, ethnic Catholic communities.
