Research On Religion » Catholicism

David Deavel on De Sales, Newman, Chesterton, and Hitchcock

tonygill — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 08:00:21 +0000

Location, location, location. That is the eternal cry of every real estate agent, and it proved prophetic for this week’s guest, Prof. David Deavel, an assistant professor of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas — as he grew up an evangelical Christian in the shadow of Notre Dame, which gave him the foundation for later converting to Catholicism. And along the way, he became an expert on a number of Catholic saints, theologians, and writers, which is where our discussion winds today. And a winding road it is, starting with St. Francis De Sales, moving into John Henry Newman, off to G.K. Chesterton, and finally stopping with Alfred Hitchcock. This is a fun-filled and light-hearted look at a number of Catholic thinkers and their relationship to our modern world.

The conversation begins with a bit of the background on our guest, and an interesting fun fact that the city of St. Paul was once called “Pig’s Eye.” We learn much about how Prof. Deavel ended up thinking about everything from Catholic social thought to vampires and Harry Potter. After that, we get on to the primary topic at hand, which is Saint Francis De Sales, a priest who originally started out as a lawyer and who was also an avid rower back in the 16th century (and eventually passing in 1622). Prof. Deavel terms De Sales a “patron saint for our time” by observing that Francis threw himself into a very contentious environment in Switzerland several decades after the Protestant Reformation. Catholics were not all that popular in Geneva back then, thus De Sales had to figure out how to keep a low profile (once hiding in a tree for a full day), yet keep true to his love of spreading the Gospel. De Sales strategy was to show and live a life of love, and would often minister in local houses. His understanding that all Christians were holy was a thought that preceded the thinking of the Second Vatican Council’s emphasis on ecumenism by more than three centuries. David points out that in today’s world where politics has become a “blood sport” and all sorts of groups are locked in seemingly endless battle, De Sales message of tolerance is one that should be heralded. Francis De Sales eventually was promoted to bishop of Geneva and founded the Salesians religious order (or Visitation sisters).

We then move on to discuss John Henry Newman who lived for most of the 19th century and became an important figure in Catholic education. Experiencing a Christian conversion at age 16 and becoming an Anglican clergy member in the 1820s, Newman was a principal leader of the Oxford Movement that sought to return the Church of England to its Catholic roots. Though unsuccessful in returning the Anglican Church to Catholicism, Newman found himself converting to Catholicism in the mid-19th century, eventually becoming a Cardinal in the Church. We discuss his emphasis on education, culminating both in his work in Dublin, as well as his series of lectures that culminated in the work The Idea of a University which has heavily influenced Catholic higher education to this day. Although never having hidden in a tree like Francis De Sales, Cardinal Newman has been on the road to sainthood and is currently categorized as Blessed Newman, one step away from becoming an official saint. Our conversation turns then to G.K. Chesterton, another Catholic thinker that has occupied the mind of Dr. Deavel. He contrasts the irreligious early life of Chesterton with the two previous figures we discussed, but notes the similarities in how his faith was shaped early in adulthood, eventually culminating in his admission that he was Christian by age 26 and eventual conversion to Catholicism in 1922. We then veer into the world of Alfred Hitchcock who was influenced by Chesterton but took a much different religious trajectory. Prof. Deavel notes the religious influences in Hitchcock’s life and how he came back to Catholicism at the end of his life. Our conversation ends with some reflections by David on what this eclectic path of study he has taken has revealed to him over time. Recorded: February 23, 2018.

Prof. David Deavel’s Academia.edu page (where you can find his various articles).

LOGOS: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture.

The Catholic Controversy, by St. Francis De Sales.

Introduction to the Devout Life, by St. Francis De Sales.

The Idea of a University, by John Henry Newman.

Orthodoxy, by G.K. Chesterton.

“The Ballad of the White Horse,” by G.K. Chesterton.

Martin Luther Insult Generator (mentioned in podcast).

Pope Francis Insult Generator (also mentioned in podcast in an ecumenical spirit).

RELATED PODCASTS

Brian O’Neel on Saint Who? Some Holy Unknowns.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of January.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of February.

Jim Tonkowich on Converting to Catholicism.

Corey Olsen on J.R.R. Tolkien.

Louis Markos on the Poetry of Heaven and Hell.

Micah Watson on C.S. Lewis.

Aurora Griffin on Being Catholic at Harvard

tonygill — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 09:00:46 +0000

What is it like to be a devout Catholic attending a secular university? What steps can young believers take to ensure the integrity of the faith? Aurora Griffin, a graduate of Harvard University and a junior research scholar at the Center for the Study of Statesmanship at the Catholic University of America, answers these questions and provides valuable insights from her book How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard. After a brief discussion of her current duties at Catholic University, Ms. Griffin provides us with some biographical background on her faith and education growing up, and how she ended up at Harvard. Starting out with the intent to major in biomedical and cardiac research, and a side-interest in philosophy, she details how she ended up on an academic track focusing on the classics. Aurora also discusses the stresses of applying for college and what the first few months on campus are like – intellectually, socially, and religiously. Along the way, we are treated to great bits of advice regarding how to navigate the difficult waters of one’s college career, including the realization that things change.

Aurora then recounts an important story that set her down the course of writing her book about life at Harvard. It was during her graduation dinner with family, friends, and select faculty members that her father offered a toast regarding how significant it was that Aurora kept her Catholic faith so strong throughout college. This came as a bit of surprise as Aurora was expecting a recounting of her various academic achievements, but this point did prompt her to reflect upon the beliefs and practices that kept her strong, write them down, and publish them as bits of advice for other students who would find themselves in her position. When asked what the most important disciplines keeping her faith strong were, she replied that is was: 1) attending Mass regularly; 2) observing all required fasts; and 3) going to confession at least once a year. We discuss how the act of confession helps to promote reflection and humility, and how regular practices (or rituals) such as attending Mass create strong habits in other parts of one’s spiritual and secular life.

The discussion then turns to more specific advice in several areas including choosing one’s community, one’s approach to academics, and how to “live out” faith on a daily basis. Aurora points out that it would be hard to maintain one’s religious faith without a community of like-minded supporters, thus it is important to seek out other students and faculty that share your beliefs. This is a task that is important right from the start. Aurora also discusses her success in forming a Catholic sorority to bring together a community of 35 or so female students who connected with the Daughters of Isabella organization. The Harvard chapter of the Daughters of Isabella initiated their organization with a black tie ball, organized other social events, and became engaged in various charitable activities such as pancake breakfasts to support a local parish and baby showers for low-income mothers. We also discussed what it means to “just be Catholic” on a secular campus and Aurora’s thoughts on how to embrace the teachings of the Church without picking and choosing selectively. Tony asks if building a strong community of like-minded adherents runs the risk of creating a bubble around a student, which then moves us into a discussion of how important it is to also interact with people who are different than you, a lesson she learned at Oxford.

Academically, Aurora champions the importance of finding religious faculty members to interact with, attending conferences, and conversing with guest speakers to campus. She recounts her first meeting with philosopher Peter Kreeft of Boston College while picking him up at an airport in California. This seemingly mundane encounter became the springboard from which further intellectual interactions occurred in Boston. We then talk about “living it out” — i.e., how to be openly religious in our modern world. Aurora raises an interesting question that she heard from one of her friends: “If we lived in a country where Christianity was illegal, would there be sufficient evidence to charge you with?” This provocative question became a measuring stick for Aurora’s own faith and she talks about how rejecting various temptations at social gatherings and keeping the Sabbath are important markers for one’s spiritual developments. She recalls how she would attend Mass regularly on Sunday and spend leisurely afternoons with her friends afterwards as a way of keeping the Sabbath, a difficult task in the high-pressured world of the Ivy League. We also talk about how regular habits of faith may seem robotic and sterile, but really allow a person to avoid things that they could become “hurt by” and how this leads to a more fulfilling and happier life.

The conversation concludes with some of Aurora’s personal reflections on what she has experienced since finishing her book and what her future plans are. Recorded: Janary 12, 2018

How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard: Forty Tips for Faithful College Students, by Aurora Griffin.

Leisure, the Basis of Culture, by Joseph Pieper (mentioned in podcast).

Daughters of Isabella (and the Harvard chapter).

RELATED PODCASTS

Kimberly Conger on Being Christian in Secular Academia.

Bill Clark on an Academic’s Spiritual Journey.

Tim Clydesdale on Vocation and Education.

Joseph Castleberry on Religiously-Based Higher Education.

Chris Gehrz on the Crisis of Christian Colleges.

Marion Larson on Bubbles, Bridges, and Multi-Faith Education.

Hunter Baker on the Future of Higher Education.

James Felak on the Counter-Reformation

tonygill — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 08:00:29 +0000

As we wind down our seven-episode series on the Protestant Reformation, we give the “other side” a chance to make their historical case. Prof. James Felak, a professor of history at the University of Washington (and frequent RoR guest), sits down with Tony to discuss the Catholic response to Luther’s protest. Known popularly as the “Counter-Reformation,” Dr. Felak notes that it really should be termed the Catholic Reformation as we note how Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and others broke with the Church in a schismatic movement. We start the discussion with a look at the religious and political landscape leading up to Luther’s challenge. Fifteenth century Europe was characterized by three key factors that conditioned the Reformation, Felak argues. First was the increasing strength of secular kingdoms relative to the Roman Catholic Church, which prompts a variety of power and financial struggles between the crown(s) and the popes. Growing corruption within the Church presented the second challenge to Christianity during this century, which leads to the third factor — indulgences. Out of curiosity, Tony asks when the Catholic Church began to be called the “Catholic Church,” rather than just the Church given that Catholicism is now used as a term of contradistinction to Protestantism. James mentions that he wonders the same thing too when teaching courses on Christian history, and we more or less agree that the term Catholic Church is put into greater usage in the 16th century. (Listeners are encouraged to weigh in on this question.)

We then move to the early 1500s and the “immediate” (by late medieval standards) reaction of the Vatican to Luther. Tony poses a counterfactual to his historian guest, asking what would the Christian timeline looked like had the Holy See just ignored Martin Luther. There were two popes involved in pushing back against Luther, and times of leadership transition can be difficult. Prof. Felak responds that the Protestant Reformation was a “slow train moving” and it was likely to happen at some point. We talk about how Johann Eck became involved in debates with Luther and how Luther’s pamphleteering left the Vatican no choice but to respond. The printing press made ignoring the issue very difficult. We review the events of the Diet of Worms and then springboard forward to the Council of Trent that sets the “Counter-Reformation” in motion. James points out that Rome was really responding to at least five “reformations” over the first half of the sixteenth century, only one of which was Luther. This included movements spurred on by Zwingli, Calvin, Arminians, other radical reformers, and the breakaway English Church. The Council of Trent — which occurred over several decades (and James explains why) — initiated a two-prong response which was to, first, reform the institutional Church, and second, to answer a variety of doctrinal challenges to the faith. As for the first, there was greater emphasis placed on educating the clergy via rigorous seminary training, incentivize bishops to preach in their own dioceses, and ensure subsequent popes chosen had a strong moral character. There was also a movement to promoting religious orders, which we talk about later. As for the doctrinal pushback, the Catholic Church reaffirmed the seven sacraments, the doctrine of purgatory, and intellectual reasoning regarding the issue of “faith alone or good works.” James spends time to explain the Catholic view of faith and works.

The conversation veers towards a discussion of the religious orders that were promoted to respond to these new institutional and theological challenges. The Jesuits were the most famous of he orders to arise at this time, but Prof. Felak documents a number of other ones, including the shoeless (discalced) Carmelites. He puts this in context of the older orders that emerged centuries before (e.g., Franciscans) and notes the new orders were much more engaged in the world and proselytizing than the earlier ones, including a renewed dedication to education of the clergy and laity. James brings up folks such as Charles Borromeo and Teresa of Avila. Tony asks about the Inquisition, and James responds by pointing out there were four distinct inquisitions including one prior to the Reformation (the Medieval Reformation), the Roman, Spanish, and Portuguese. The latter two had a more political flavor as the Iberian peninsula was not dramatically touched by Protestant reformers and these campaigns were run by kings, not clergy. We finish with some of James’s personal thoughts on how the Reformation affected Christianity and the Catholic Church, as well as how the Reformation has been viewed over the past five centuries. He shares an interesting tale of being in a Seattle bookstore and his thoughts on Lutherans as compared to other Protestant denominations. Recorded: October 6, 2017.

At the Price of the Republic: Hlinka’s Slovak People’s Party, 1929-38, by James Felak.

After Hitler, Before Stalin: Catholics, Communists, and Democrats in Slovakia, 1945-48, by James Felak.

“The Blessed Evangelical Mary: Why We Shouldn’t Ignore Her Anymore,” by Timothy George (Christianity Today).

“The Reformation at Five Hundred: An Outline of the Changing Ways We Remember the Reformation,” by Thomas Howard and Mark Knoll (First Things).

RELATED PODCASTS

The Protestant Reformation Series (including podcasts from Goldman, Pfaff, Stark, Gray, Sorenson, and Nelson).

James Felak on Picking Pontiffs and Pope Francis I.

James Felak on Vatican Council II.

James Felak on Pope Pius XII, the Wartime Pontiff.

James Felak on John Paul II and Communism.

Ken Kollman on Church Centralization.

Jon Sweeney on the Pope Who Quit.

Rodney Stark on Myths of the Reformation

tonygill — Sun, 17 Sep 2017 08:00:00 +0000

Everybody knows that the Protestant Reformation ushered in what eventually became an era of scientific enlightenment, economic development, and secularization to Europe. Or did it? Prof. Rodney Stark, co-founder of Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion, says “Nonsense!” to many of these so-called historical truths as we walk through some common myths and misconceptions of the famous religious movement that Martin Luther set rolling. We begin first by noting that there really wasn’t just a single Reformation, but at least three including Luther’s protest, Calvin’s subsequent religious movement, and King Henry VIII’s English Reformation, which wasn’t so much a change in theology as it was a transfer of authority. Prof. Stark also points out that once Catholicism’s exit door was opened and excommunication was off the table as a form of punishment, Protestantism became a fissiparous movement that underwent continual reformations leading to thousands of recognizably distinct Christian denominations today. We further learn that “Protestantism” was a term first used by the Catholic Church, and not by the individuals protesting Rome’s monopoly dominance of Christian theology. The next myth that we wander into is that the Reformation (writ large for all the various reformations) was a religious rebellion of the masses. Here Rod points out that Europe was not deeply religious in the sense of being steeped in official Catholic doctrine, but rather was a mish-mash of popular Christianity, pagan rituals, and other non-Christian superstitions and rituals. The lower classes seldom attended religious services during the supposed “golden age” of Christianity, and when they did it was often raucous affairs, not the solemn worship services often depicted in paintings and literature. Social movements, he points out, are rarely ever spurred on by the poor, but rather by economic and cultural elites that have the time and motivations to organize collective action. We address the German Peasant’s War (sometimes Revolt) of 1524-25 as possible evidence of a popular religious uprising, but this was merely the one in a long string of sporadic peasant revolts against unfavorable economic conditions. Rod notes that the reason why some regions of Europe tended to “go Protestant” while others stayed Catholic had little to do with popular sentiment and more to do with elite politics and the economic position of princes to the Vatican in terms of debt owed. Poland is brought up as a curious case of a region that initially sided with Protestantism, but then returned to the Catholic fold. Rod further points out that Protestantism did not lead to an uptick in formalized religious worship, citing the work of a historian who actually took a census of church attendance and rolls during the 16th century.

The next issues that we tackle are not so much myths as they are misfortunes. Prof. Stark explains why he sees Protestantism as providing for the cultural and political conditions that gave rise to European nationalism, that had some beneficial aspects in coagulating states, but also led to a number of extremely vicious wars between rival geographies. Rod further notes that what the Protestant Reformation(s) did was really end Christendom, the spiritual language that kept Europe pieced together during some rather fragmented centuries, at least amongst the political elite. We then go on to discuss whether or not Christianity was the impetus behind the Scientific Revolution and, eventually, the Enlightenment. Rod corrects the record about the so-called Dark Ages in that there was still a great deal of scientific and technological progress that was occurring in the centuries prior to Luther, and that the seeds of capitalism were also sown and growing long before there could have been a Protestant Ethic. Rod explains that many of these notions were promoted by scholars who held an anti-Catholic agenda (e.g., Voltaire) and were uncritically accepted by scholars up to present day (although he also points out that many contemporary historians are setting the record straight). All this then leads us to consider the purported rise of individualism and secularization in the modern (post-18th century) era. Again, Rod emphasizes that Europe never really secularized because it always was relatively secular in terms of large numbers of people avoiding religious institutions, and what constitutes the notion of “individualism” today has always been around in some form.

We finish off with a brief discussion of one of Prof. Stark’s other recent books, Why God? Explaining Religious Phenomenon. His main critique here is that social scientists have typically approached religion as something that has nothing to do with God, citing the likes of Emile Durkheim who considered religion to be something other than an institutional connection to the transcendent or supernatural. Rod corrects the record by noting that scholars need to take the actual beliefs of the people they study seriously, and if they say they are creating organizations for the purpose of worshiping God, then that must might be what they are doing. He leaves us with some critical words of wisdom, which is always to be suspicious of the received wisdom. Recorded: August 21, 2017.

(Note: Prof. Stark has always been one of my informal academic mentors, and was a close neighbor of mine when he lived in Washington State. Following our formal interview, we had a nice chat about bears, bobcats, and coyotes in the area that I live. We shared a number of other “everyday stories.” It was a simple conversation, but a truly delightful one that should remind us about the importance of living one’s daily life.)

Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion.

Reformation Myths: Five Centuries of Misconceptions and (Some) Misfortunes, by Rodney Stark.

Why God? Explaining Religious Phenomenon, by Rodney Stark.

For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch Hunts, and the End of Slavery, by Rodney Stark.

Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History, by Rodney Stark.

The Triumph of Faith: Why the World Is More Religious than Ever, by Rodney Stark.

See Prof. Stark’s personal website (link above) or his Amazon author page for a full listing of titles.

RELATED PODCASTS

Protestant Reformation Series.

Emily Fisher Gray on Luther’s 95 Theses.

Rob Sorenson on Martin Luther’s Life.

Steven Pfaff on the World of 1517.

Marion Goldman on Martin Luther and Spiritual Virtuosity.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Faith.

Rodney Stark on How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part I.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part II.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part III.

Rodney Stark on the Crusades.

Steven Pfaff on the Protestant Reformation.

Russell Kleckley on Religion, Science, and Johannes Kepler.

Margaret Taylor-Ulizio on Being a Canon Lawyer

tonygill — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 08:00:35 +0000

If the Catholic Church maintains a Code of Canon Law, one would assume that there are canon lawyers to mediate disputes that fall within the realm of that form of religious jurisprudence. It just so happens that canon lawyers do exist and we were to track down and invite Dr. Margaret Taylor-Ulizio – founder/principal of the Canon Law Advocacy and Mediation Services and part-time instructor at Georgian Court University – to discuss her career path and what canon lawyers do. After a quick introduction about what canon law is, we trace Dr. Taylor-Ulizio’s career path from an undergraduate student interested in theology at Duquesne University to her successful pursuit of a doctorate in systematic theology and ecclesiology at Marquette University. Following this, we learn that Catholic University of America is the only school in the U.S. that trains canon lawyers for the Catholic Church. Following a rigorous program of courses on canon law, along with some training in secular law, Margaret was able to take her exams and enter into the world of canon lawyering. She gives an overview of the profession and outlines what falls within the scope of canon law. We also cover how changes to the Code of Canon Law have been made over time, including recent revisions that were a response to the increasing involvement of the laity following Vatican Council II. Dr. Taylor-Ulizio then notes that most of her cases have involved marriage nullity. We spend time discussing what an annulment entails and some of the trickier aspects of these cases, including the differences between defect in consent and defect in exchange. We finish off with her reflection upon her theological and legal training and how she views the world differently today. Recorded: July 27, 2017.

Canon Law Society for America.

Code of Canon Law.

“Inside Katy Perry’s Real-Estate Soap Opera: Why Nuns and the Catholic Church Are Battling Over Her Dream L.A. Property,” in Billboard magazine.

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Jonathan Rose on Medieval Law and the Clergy.

Matthew Franck on Hosanna-Tabor and Ministerial Exemptions.

Matthew Franck on Hobby Lobby and Religious Freedom Jurisprudence.

Michael McConnell on Church Property Disputes.

Jordan Lorence on Religious Property Cases.

Frances Beckwith on Taking Rites Seriously.

Andrew Chesnut on Santa Muerte

tonygill — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 08:00:06 +0000

Many people are familiar with the Virgin of Guadalupe and an object of faithful devotion within Mexico, but fewer folks know about Santa Muerte, the “skeleton saint,” which has witnessed a growing devotion within the past two decades. Prof. Andrew Chesnut, a professor of religious studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, is one of the very few scholars to write about this fascinating folk saint and he joins us to talk about his book Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint (being released in its second edition later this year). After a bit of reminiscing about UCLA, where both Tony and Andrew were contemporaries in the late 1980s/early 1990s, Prof. Chesnut discusses how he came upon this research topic. While initially wanting to write about the Virgin of Guadalupe, his passion took him in another unexpected direction. Andrew then explains how a folk saint differs from an official Catholic saint, and gives us a sense of how devotion to Santa Muerte has grow in recent years, reaching upwards of an estimated 10 – 12 million devotees worldwide. He also covers all the various nicknames of the saint (including Bony Lady, Bald Lady, and even “Bad Ass”), as well as how she came to grow in popularity in recent decades. The deeper history of Santa Muerte is rather murky, though, and Prof. Chesnut notes that some of the earliest mentions of the name date back to the late 18th century. There are parallels between some of the “grim reaper” imagery found in Spain at the time, and this may have transferred over to the Spanish colonies and became part of the syncretist form of religion that was practiced amongst a wide swathe of the population. We then talk about how individuals interact with Santa Muerte, focusing on the variegated purposes this folk saint has and the different colored candles used in devotions. Black candles are frequently used for supernatural protection and/or vengeance and have given Santa Muerte the reputation of being the “narco-saint” for its use by criminals and within the Mexican penal system. Despite this more malevolent reputation, Santa Muerte is also the focus of a number of other devotionals revolving around healing and consecration (white candle), love and marital problems (red candle), prosperity (gold votive), justice (green), and enlightenment (brown), to name just a few. Andrew also relates the story of David Romo who founds the first Santa Muerte temple in Mexico City in 2003 and how he eventually ends up being arrested for running a kidnapping ring. We finish off with some final reflections on what Andrew has learned over the decades he has been studying Latin American religiosity, noting how he was surprised to find how much faith healing matters to individuals, and we also review what his next research project will be focusing on, namely Catholic death culture. Recorded: May 19, 2017.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Andrew Chesnut’s bio at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint, by R. Andrew Chesnut (2nd edition coming soon with Oxford University Press).

Competitive Spirits: Latin America’s New Religious Economy, by R. Andrew Chestnut.

Born Again in Brazil: The Pentecostal Boom and the Pathogens of Poverty, by R. Andrew Chesnut.

Andrew Chesnut’s columns at the Huffington Post and his Twitter feed.

RELATED PODCASTS

Ruth Melkonian on Latin American Protestants.

Christopher Hale on Religion & Protest in Mexico.

Andrew Johnson on Pentecostals in Prison in Brazil.

Brian O’Neel on Saint Who? Some Holy Unknowns.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of January.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of February.

Tony Carnes on a Journey Through New York City Religions.

Tony Carnes on Jesus’s Auto Body (and Soul) Shop, Blessed Pizza, and NYC Religions.

Jim Papandrea on the Catholicism of Early Christianity

tonygill — Sun, 19 Feb 2017 09:00:09 +0000

Protestants have often accused the Roman Catholic Church of “adding on” a great many traditions, rituals, and theological components that were not part of early Christianity. Prof. Jim Papandrea, an associate professor of Church history at the Garrett-Evangelical Seminary (Northwestern University), takes these ideas to task by showing that early Christianity and Catholicism are very much in sync with one another. We begin our discussion by proving the role of “tradition” in early Christianity. Prof. Papandrea makes the case that tradition — the means of passing on knowledge throughout the ages — was important from the very birth of Christianity and was essential in the writing of the Bible. He talks about the need for authority and unity in teaching Church doctrine and how this lends itself to hierarchy. To illustrate this, Jim puts forth the life of Irenaeus, the Heretic Hunter (as he calls him). We then move on to a number of other topics that often divide Protestants and Catholics, such as the role of faith and good works, and the need for the papacy. As for the latter, Jim makes the case that true Catholics have never believed that you can earn your way into heaven via “good works,” nor have they denied the importance of salvation by personal faith, but rather he argues that doing good deeds is a means of ensuring one does not fall into a sinful lifestyle. He argues that baptism allows one to get a “clean slate,” but does not guarantee a free ride to salvation. Here he uses Clement of Alexandria to illustrate the proper understanding of alms-giving, penance, and salvation. Jim then reaffirms what was noted earlier in the podcast when it comes to the papacy, and that is the important role of a unifying hierarchy to preserve the faith. This leads to an interesting discussion of Eastern Orthodoxy and congregational Protestantism. He calls up Leo the Great to make his point about the importance of having a unified faith. We also examine the veneration of the saints, a practice that many Protestants see as idolatry. Much like our previous guest Brian O’Neel, Jim notes that this isn’t idolatry, but rather a means of devotion and intercession, as well as being an instructive way to live out one’s Christian faith. He makes an interesting analogy as to how honoring the saints helps us connect with “The Cloud” (of past Church history). St. Augustine comes into play here as the exemplar Church Father illustrating this point (and Tony notes that Augustine was also the “Hammer of the Donatists”). We finish off with Jim’s seven major “essential connections” between Catholics and Protestants. Throughout the conversation, we discuss the importance of ecumenism, and given the friendship Jim and Tony have had going back to high school, and that each individual has converted faiths in opposite directions, this was a lesson that was well received by both. Recorded: February 10, 2017.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Jim Papandrea’s personal website and bio at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary (Northwestern University).

Jim Papandrea on YouTube and Twitter. (RoR is also on Twitter!)

Handed Down: The Catholic Faith of Early Christians, by James Papandrea.

Seven Revolutions: How Christianity Changed the World and Can Change It Again, by Mike Aquilina and James Papandrea.

Reading the Early Church Fathers, by James Papandrea.

Rome: A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Eternal City, by James Papandrea (and Romesick Photography, a companion site).

The Earliest Christologies, by James Papandrea.

The Wedding of the Lamb: A Historical Approach to the Book of Revelation, by James Papandrea.

Novatian of Rome and the Culmination of Pre-Nicene Orthodoxy, by James Papandrea.

RELATED PODCASTS

Jim Papandrea on Christianity’s Seven Revolutions.

Jim Papandrea on the End of the World and Revelation.

Jim Papandrea on the Church Fathers and Patristic Exegesis.

Tim Kelleher on the Nicene Creed and Hollywood.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of February.

Brian O’Neel on the Saints of January.

Brian O’Neel on Saint Who? Some Holy Unknowns.

Brandon O’Brien on Paul Behaving Badly.

Michael Licona on the Historiography of the Resurrection.

Jim Tonkowich on Converting to Catholicism.

Timothy Neary on Race, Sports, and Catholics

tonygill — Sun, 22 Jan 2017 09:00:06 +0000

In the first half of the twentieth century, the city of Chicago was going through a number of economic, political, and demographic changes that drew the attention of the Catholic Church. Prof. Timothy Neary, an associate professor of history at Salve Regina University (Newport, RI), discusses how a popular sports program – the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) – was developed by the Catholic archdiocese in response to growing challenges from secularism, communism, and a changing racial landscape. Prof. Neary recalls how he came to study such a topic in graduate school, taking us back to his past education in Jesuit institutions from high school through his doctorate. We then lay out the scope of his new book Crossing Parish Boundaries: Race, Sports, and Catholic Youth in Chicago 1914-1954, starting with what Chicago as a city looked like at the turn of the century and the changes it experienced over the next half century. This transformation included the rise of Catholic politicians and increased immigration from African Americans, transforming the formerly Irish Catholic neighborhoods of South Chicago into one with a majority black population. We explore the nature of the religious scene paying particular attention to an influential minority of African American Catholics. Tim then explains how an important auxiliary bishop in the Chicago archdiocese — Bernard Sheil — brought his interest in sports to bear on an increasing concern among the clergy to engage in social work as a counter to a number of changes they saw facing their communities in the era of urban industrialization. Inspired by the papal encyclicals Rerum Novarum and Quadragesimo Anno, Bishop Sheil creates the Catholic Youth Organization in 1930 to give adolescents — a newly identified demographic with more teenagers attending high school — an alternative outlet to other less savory activities. Partially inspired by the Protestant YMCAs that were popping up throughout the country, the CYO offered young men and women the opportunity to participate in a number of individual and team sports that crossed parish boundaries and brought disparate members of the Catholic community together in unified activity. We spend some time talking about a very popular sport at the time, boxing. Tim notes that despite being a competitive, martial sport, the CYO was able to use this activity to promote discipline, upright behavior, and a love of God, country, and the papal encyclicals. Open to non-Catholics, it also brought in some converts. Despite the Chicago branch of the CYO falling into disarray after the death of Bishop Sheil, Prof. Neary details the long-term influence this program had in terms of creating greater awareness for racial justice (a growing concern of Sheil) and cultivating a cohort of Black Democrat leaders including the likes of Ralph Metcalfe. (Tony points out that Mr. Metcalfe, a CYO participant and Olympian, was a graduate of Marquette University, his alma mater.) Tim finishes up by discussing what he learned throughout the course of his studies and what the future might hold for Catholics and race relations. Recorded: December 30, 2016.

Crossing Parish Boundaries: Race, Sports, and Catholic Youth in Chicago, 1914-1954, by Timothy Neary.

Urban History Association.

Parish Boundaries: The Catholic Encounter with Race in the Twentieth Century Urban North. by John McGreevy (mentioned in podcast).

Play Like a Champion Program (Notre Dame).

For God & Country: Bishop Sheil’s Vision for Youth Sports (Feb. 10, 2017 at the University of Notre Dame – public lecture by Prof. Neary).

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Samuel Gregg on Pope Francis, Argentina, and Economics

tonygill — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 09:00:37 +0000

During the first four years of Pope Francis’s tenure at the Vatican, the pontiff from Latin America released two social encyclicals that have touched upon various economic issues — Evangelli gaudium (2013) and Laudato si’ (2015). To explain the background of Pope Francis’s statements, we are joined by Dr. Samuel Gregg, director of research at the Acton Institute, and author on various books on markets and morality. Dr. Gregg begins by discussing what encyclicals are, what social encyclicals are in specific, and how some important ones issued by various pontiffs over the past century or so. He notes that encyclicals are largely directed at the bishops, but are also read broadly by lay Catholics and others to take cues on how various socio-economic trends can be read through Catholic social teaching. We go back to the first encyclical to address industrial capitalism — Rerum novarum (1891) and walk through some of the differences and continuities with Quadragesimo anno (1931), Lumen gentium (1964), Gaudium et spes (1965), Centesimus annus (1991), and the two aforementioned documents written by Pope Francis. Sam notes that while many pundits will focus on some of the economic sections of these documents, Evagelli gaudium is primarily about reaching the peripheries of society with the Christian Gospel. We then spend time discussing the economic history of Argentina as a means of understanding the socio-economic context that formed Jorge Bergoglio’s mindset. The role of Juan Perón and Peronismo in affecting the economic trajectory of Argentina, one of the ten richest countries in 1900 but which fell significantly behind other developing nations over the course of the 20th century. Perón promulgated a very “corporatist” set of policies, and Sam explains how Catholic thought influenced this ideology. We also review the period of economic liberalization under Carlos Menem in the 1990s and the “great depression” that affected Argentina at the turn of the 21st century. From this historical perspective, we look Bergoglio’s intellectual development with Dr. Gregg noting that the future Pope Francis wasn’t a theologian, had some skepticism of “high theologians,” and how he spent much of his career focusing on pastoral formation. Nonetheless, when it comes to his views on economics, Bergoglio was influenced by various threads of Peronismo, which works its way into Bergoglio’s teleogía del pueblo (or “theology of the people”), which should not be conflated with liberation theology. We then discuss some critiques of this view of economic life, including the difficulty in defining who “the people” are and how we determine what they really want. Sam finishes off with some reflections on what he has learned over the decades of studying theology and economics. Recorded: December 16, 2016.

“Understanding Pope Francis: Argentina, Economic Failure, and the Telogía del Pueblo” by Samuel Gregg in The Independent Review.

Morality, Law, and Public Policy, by Samuel Gregg.

Economic Thinking for the Theologically Minded, by Samuel Gregg.

On Ordered Liberty, by Samuel Gregg.

The Commercial Society, by Samuel Gregg.

Wilhelm Röpke’s Political Economy, by Samuel Gregg.

Becoming Europe: Economic Decline, Culture, and How America Can Avoid a European Future, by Samuel Gregg.

Tea Party Catholic: The Catholic Case for Limited Government, a Free Economy and Human Flourishing, by Samuel Gregg.

“Laudato Si': Well Intentioned, Economically Flawed,” by Samuel Gregg.

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Jeremy Lott on the Media’s Pope-O-Rama.

James Felak on Picking Pontiffs and Pope Francis.

Maureen Fitzgerald on Irish Nuns and Welfare

tonygill — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 08:00:05 +0000

The middle of the 19th century was a time of immense demographic, economic, and social change in the United States. Foremost among these changes was a wave of immigration that remade the economic and political landscape of the country. We invite Dr. Maureen Fitzgerald, an associate professor of history at the College of William & Mary, to discuss the little known history of how Irish Catholic nuns helped shepherd immigrants into this new and changing environment, and how those nuns, in turn, set the groundwork for later social welfare policies in New York City and beyond. Prof. Fitzgerald explains the origin of her research, beginning with interest in the upper-class Protestant reformer Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and then realizing how the names of a number of Irish nuns kept surfacing in her investigation of this period. Historically speaking, these Catholic women religious did not leave as big of a paper trail of evidence of their activities as Protestant reformers, but a detailed case study of New York City by Prof. Fitzgerald did yield a wealth of other information that became the book Habits of Compassion: Irish-Catholic Nuns and the Origins of New York’s Welfare System 1830-1920. That period of time, roughly a century, was one of major socio-economic and demographic changes in the United States, not the least of which was the massive Irish immigration in the 1840s during the period of the Great Famine. Maureen discusses the nature of that immigration (often led by single women) and how U.S. convents and other organizations established by Catholic nuns were pivotal in offering assistance to new immigrants and keeping many of them out of prostitution. We also discuss the role these women religious played in countering efforts of Protestant reformers to remove Catholic children from impoverished or single-mother homes and relocate them in Protestant households (something known as the “child-saving movement”). We discuss how these early efforts were funded (largely via private donations or school tuitions) and how this shifted following the Civil War when a majority of New York City residents were immigrants or second-generation ethnic voters. The rise of “machine politics” (Tammany Hall) allowed public funds to be directed towards Catholic charities, bolstering their position within the city and allowing them to expand. We discuss the indirect influence that the Irish nuns had on the foundation for later welfare policies such as the Destitute Mother’s Bill. Maureen concludes her discussion with some reflection on the craft of studying the history of individuals and groups who don’t leave a written record. Recorded: August 8, 2016.

Note: In the introduction, Tony incorrectly notes Maureen as the author of Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s Woman’s Bible. Prof. Fitzgerald was the author of an introduction to that book. This was Tony’s error and was corrected during the conversation.

Habits of Compassion: Irish Catholic Nuns and the Origins of New York’s Welfare System, by Maureen Fitzgerald.

Erin’s Daughters in America, by Hasia Diner (mentioned in podcast).

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