By Rudolf Harvey, O.F.M. Imprimatur, 1943. 26 page booklet.

In A New Birth of Freedom, Rev. Rudolf Harvey explores the true meaning of liberty, particularly in the context of the world wars and modern political ideologies. He argues that liberty is not merely the absence of restraint or a collection of civil rights but is instead rooted in the spiritual nature of man. Drawing heavily from Christian philosophy and the writings of St. Augustine, Harvey warns against relativistic and pragmatic approaches that deny absolute truth and goodness, claiming that such views ultimately erode freedom. For liberty to endure, it must be grounded in an understanding of human dignity, moral truth, and the eternal foundations of right and justice.

Harvey critiques both secular liberalism and totalitarian ideologies that redefine liberty as either economic freedom or submission to the state. He stresses that true liberty is intrinsically linked to man’s purpose: to seek truth, goodness, and ultimately, union with God. Without these, societal structures collapse into tyranny or aimlessness. The book passionately defends liberty as a spiritual and moral condition, urging readers to preserve and protect it not just through politics but through fidelity to higher ideals. In doing so, Harvey ties personal integrity, philosophical clarity, and religious faith to the preservation of freedom in a turbulent world.

“That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” -U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (1863)

This short easy to read booklet is much needed in the current state of our beloved country. It is succinct insomuch that a few quotes from the book will be sufficient to draw in readers:

“Human liberty is enduring only because it is indestructible. It could not be indestructible were it not spiritual.”

“What is human liberty? For it is only when the civilian or the soldier has known the answer to that question that he can in the fullest sense of the words give his life, as Christ gave His, in testimony to the Truth.”

“There are persons in high professorial places of our land who continue to speak of freedom while they deny the existence of both Truth and Right.”

“Throughout the course of human history fleets and armies have been the last resort of nations in determining their rights. The international war machine has been the deciding judge in an arbitrament of blood. If this kind of decision be all that justice really means, then the reverend Justices of the Supreme Court are no better than museum pieces, animated fossils, hangovers for an unthinking era when human beings were so innocent or so foolish as to believe in equity and justice, law and sanctions.”

Some very compelling chapters include: Liberty is a Spiritual Thing, There is Not Liberty Without Truth, Happiness in Truth and Goodness Is Liberty’s Purpose.