Conservative political philosopher, born in 1907; professor of government at the University of Notre Dame, 1955-1997. Niemeyer wrote about political theory, ideology, communism, totalitarianism, the modern world, and Christianity. He served as an advisor to Barry Goldwater, as a member of the Republican National Committee's Task Force on Foreign Policy, and as chairman of the Board of Foreign Scholarships in the Reagan administration. He served as an Episcopalian deacon beginning in 1973 and as an Episcopalian priest beginning in 1980. Before his death he converted to Roman Catholicism. He had an interest in early music and played the recorder and viola da gamba. He died in 1997.