The Roots of Violence

"We are living in an era whose atmosphere is saturated with the flames of hatred. It is an age of violence whose tempo of disruption is so rapidly escalating that there is scarcely a city anywhere in the world where humans can be assured of normal, physical security."

So wrote visionary bestselling author Fr. Vincent Miceli, S.J., whose classic book The Roots of Violence breaks open the philosophical roots of violence in our society from a Christian perspective. What is the taproot that is causing the metastasizing delirium for violence we're seeing in modern times? It is the attack against God. It is hatred of truth.

The refusal to serve God was the rallying cry Satan used to incite violence and rebellion among the angels as they stood trial in the vestibule of Heaven. Miceli explains that Christ Himself testified that this "father of lies was a murderer from the beginning," thus making the connection between hatred of truth and lust for violence. Christ warned the Pharisees that men who reject God's plan for their salvation are destined to imitate Satan's deeds.

In these gripping pages, Fr. Miceli reveals:

• How we are living in the Age of the Persistent Lie
• The fundamental aspect of violence that must be identified to conquer its plague
• The greatest lie of all -- and how you can refute it
• Five elements that constitute the nature of violence, per St. Thomas Aquinas
• Two ways modern violence is different from historical violence
• The connection between avarice, which causes other vices, and violence
• What is really behind the metaphysics of murder
• Two crimes that warrant God's vengeance against individuals and groups

Fr. Miceli further describes how Nietzsche was the prophet who foresaw and foretold the coming of the beast of violence. Indeed, he heralded its greatest commandment, whose faithful practice would create a society of savages. "The time has come," Nietzsche wrote, "to oppose morality with immorality, to call what priests call good, evil, and what they call evil, good. The time has come for the transvaluation of all values."

Drawing from shocking examples of violence from biblical to recent times, Fr. Miceli describes the significance of these events in light of truth and reason and explains how Christians should respond. You will find the seven conditions for a just war, the difference between violence and terrorism, an appendix with excerpts from St. John Paul II's writings on violence, and more.

Fr. Vincent P. Miceli, S.J. (1915-1991), earned his doctoral degree in contemporary philosophy from Fordham University while studying under Dietrich von Hildebrand. He taught at Loyola University, Pontifical Gregorian University, Pontifical University of St. Thomas, and Christendom, among other colleges. He is the author of several books and wrote extensively for journals and magazines such as L'Osservatore Romano, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, and National Catholic Register. Fr. Miceli made innumerable appearances on national TV and radio programs to promote the Faith and cohosted the syndicated radio program Where Catholics Meet.