Michael Novak was born on September 9, 1933, and died on February 17, 2017.

He was an American Catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat.

Novak was an author of more than forty books on the philosophy and theology of culture, he is most widely known for his book The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism (1982).

He was honored with an honorary doctorate degree at Universidad Francisco Marroquín due to his commitment to the idea of liberty, in 1993.

Novak was awarded the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion in 1994, which included a million-dollar purse awarded at Buckingham Palace.

Michael Novak wrote books and articles focused on capitalism, religion, and the politics of democratization.

He served as United States Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in 1981 and 1982 and led the U.S. delegation to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe in 1986.

But, he served on the board of directors of the now-defunct Coalition for a Democratic Majority, a faction of the Democratic Party, which sought to influence Democratic Party policies in the same direction that the Committee on the Present Danger later did.

He was George Frederick Jewett Scholar in Religion, Philosophy, and Public Policy at the American Enterprise Institute.

During 2004, Novak claimed to be a lifelong Democrat, while noting that he has supported many Republican candidates.

Michael Novak passed away at 83 years old.