Ross Douthat
Let’s analyze the world’s latest church-and-empire fracas, the open conflict between President Trump and Pope Leo XIV, in terms of three concentric circles, bringing us from the general realities of Catholic politics to the intense specifics of this case.
At the general level, there is nothing about a conflict between a secular authority and the Roman pontiff that should have Catholic...
The strongest version of this narrative highlights legitimate tensions between the Vatican’s political engagement and the diverse perspectives within its flock. It acknowledges that popes are not infallible in policy matters and that historical precedent supports secular leaders disagreeing with papal positions. The analysis also correctly identifies a shift in Vatican rhetoric under different popes, with Francis leaning left and Leo XIV attempting to balance conservative concerns while maintain...