A Thomist’s Guide to the 2020 Election, by Daniel Waldow

For many well intentioned Catholics, determining whom to vote for in the upcoming presidential election is a difficult decision. The Church has no official, clear criteria to aid in the decision. Yet, the fact is that Rome, the highest authority in the Church, has provided the faithful with contemporary, official teaching concerning political decisions. Pope Saint John Paul II gave us Evangelium Vitae 68-74. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, published a “Doctrinal Note on the Participation of Catholics in Political Life” as well as a memorandum on “Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion: General Principles.” Catholics who trust in the teaching authority of the Church and look to it for direction should ground their voting decision in the logic of these documents.

In addition to the above documents, I recommend that all Catholics and people of goodwill look to the political philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas for guidance regarding which candidate to support this November. In De Regno (On Kingship) and the Summa Theologiae, Aquinas offers a compelling account of the origin, nature, and purpose of human government. His political theory contains enduring principles that can serve as the basis for our political thinking today.  …