Michael Novak (September 9, 1933 – February 17, 2017) was an American Catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist and diplomat. He wrote more than forty books on the philosophy and theology of culture. He was known for his book "The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism" (1982). In 1994, he was awarded the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion. He mostly wrote books and articles about capitalism, religion, and the politics of democratization. 