Abstract
It’s my pleasure to present three studies of the work of LeoStrauss, probably the most profound and certainly the mostfascinating writer on political philosophy of the twentieth century.Marc Guerra, Ralph Hancock, and Paul Seaton each offer a sympatheticbut critical account of both Strauss’s work and that of prominentstudents of Strauss. Guerra displays his erudition and philosophicpenetration in his panoramic overview of Strauss’s project torecover the "theologico-political problem" as a permanent humanproblem. Hancock and Seaton approach Strauss mainly throughrecent work by Straussians. Seaton offers a very close and gentlyprovocative reading of the introduction to a Strauss-inspired responseto the challenge posed to political philosophy by the Bible. InHancock’s case, the genuinely postmodern (or almost Thomistic)interpretive focus is on two very recent Straussian commentaries onStrauss, and he boldly announces his declaration of independencefrom the "serenity now" crowd. Each of the three authors dissentsfrom both Strauss and Straussians by doubting that philosophy cantruthfully liberate a human being, even the greatest thinkers, fromtheir natural orientation toward morality and God. But each alsogratefully acknowledges his debt to Strauss for clarifying in his ownmind the complex relationship between faith and reason.
