This essay looks into the paradoxical friendship of Jacques Maritain, a
Catholic philosopher, and Saul Alinsky, a radical community organizer.
Commentators Bernard Doering and Charles Curran have used the fact
of this friendship to draw the erroneous conclusion that Maritain
approved of Alinsky’s philosophy. However, a closer look at their
respective writings shows that Maritain and Alinsky retained profound
disagreements on basic philosophical issues. Particular attention is paid
to Maritain’s letter in response to Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals, in which
Maritain raised objections to many of Alinsky’s ideas. Thus, Maritain did
not compromise his Christian worldview.