The Peasant of the Garonne Author:Jacques Maritain At 85, Maritain, the outstanding Thomistic philosopher of our time, has written what he offers as his last book, and it turns out to be a shocker. Sharply attacking the "new theology" Maritain strives to cool off the fever for change that he believes is imperiling the Church's traiditonal spirituality and even the substance of doctrine. — The pe... more »asant, as Maritain calls himself in the title, is a man who calls a spade a space; and a storm of controversy descended immediately on the book's publication in France, as both Right and Left reeled from the force of Maritain's criticism. Considering himself neither Left nor Right, Maritain says, "I feel myself closer to the first in matters pertaining to Caesar, and closer to the latter in what belongs to God."« less