The Republic

Note from The Church

We include this work because it explores justice, virtue, and the structure of society, while simultaneously guiding reflection on the cultivation of the self. Plato’s dialogue challenges seekers to consider the relationship between inner development and outer action, a principle central to the Church and the Order.

Plato's The Republic is widely acknowledged as the cornerstone of Western philosophy.

Presented in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and three different interlocutors, it is an inquiry into the notion of a perfect community and the ideal individual within it. During the conversation other questions are raised: what is goodness; what is reality; what is knowledge? The Republic also addresses the purpose of education and the role of both women and men as "guardians" of the people. With remarkable lucidity and deft use of allegory, Plato arrives at a depiction of a state bound by harmony and ruled by "philosopher kings."

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