Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI: New Letter on Vatican 2 & Lecture on Introduction to Christianity

Today we take a change of pace and cover what many have considered a classic introduction to the Roman Catholic version of Christianity: Cardinal Ratzinger’s well known Introduction to Christianity. Is this a traditional work? Does it contain modernism? How as Orthodox would we see this book and how useful are the admissions in Ratzinger’s […]

Porkins Policy Radio episode 156 Catholic Church Cover Up with Ed Opperman and Brian Heiss

This week my guests are Ed Opperman and Brian Heiss. First, we covered the latest development in the #MeToo saga: the allegations that Asia Argento abused actor Jimmy Bennet. We discussed who may have leaked this to the New York Times and why. We also touched on the complexities of sexual abuse, and how many victims go on to victimize. The conversation then shifted to the recent Pennsylvania Attorney General report which investigated rampant sexual abuse in the state’s Catholic Church.

Marxist Praxis, Catholic Solidarity, and Human Dignity

Pope Francis I has denied being a communist, noting that he simply urges activism against the “structural causes” of poverty. This activism follows from Christian doctrine. Francis has said that any pronouncements regarding economic policy and welfare stem from Church doctrine rather than “leftist ideology.” Nevertheless, it appears that Marxist principles have emerged within Catholic social teaching, specifically with respect to notions of praxis (which are endogenous to both Marxist and Catholic social thought) and social analysis.