Theologian: US Church in the service of anti-liberal politics

Theologian Faggioli: US Church in the service of anti-liberal politics

US theologian Faggioli warns of political abuse of the Catholic Church in the USA by right-wing authoritarian movements

US theologian Massimo Faggioli warns of the abuse of Catholic theology in the USA as a political, cultural, and media instrument of power. His diagnosis: A formerly critical, inclusive form of faith is increasingly falling into the vortex of authoritarian ideologies and becoming a central carrier of an "anti-liberal" political culture that is also influencing Europe. "What we are seeing is a subversive version of Catholic culture that has abandoned conservatism," said Faggioli, who teaches Catholic theology and religious studies at Villanova University, in a lecture at the University of Innsbruck on Thursday.

This development is "not the majority, but it is no longer a fringe phenomenon," said the Italian-born theologian. At its core is an ideological combination of radical populism, religious fundamentalism, and the declared goal of destroying the liberal order. This is being reinforced by a "normalization of right-wing extremist rhetoric," for example, in the interaction between parts of US Catholicism and the Trump movement.

The once rather small and less prominent Catholic Church in the US now has a great influence on political culture. "It is no longer just the largest church, but a moral reference point in political discourse—including for the illiberal attack on the liberal order," Faggioli pointed out. With regard to the role of prominent Catholics in the Trump era – such as Vice President James David Vance – Faggioli stated: "They provide theological legitimacy for the Trump global movement's fight against the liberal order." This development is also linked to a radicalization of Catholic thinkers and organizations.

Faggioli cited the third phase of the abuse crisis beginning in 2018, the coronavirus pandemic, and the shift toward anti-scientific positions as turning points. At the same time, the development is part of an international dynamic: "Orbán's Hungary is a model and magnet for these intellectuals on the question of how American democracy should shift to an illiberal path." In contrast, European bishops' conferences have recently taken a clearer stance against nationalism and racism.

New Conservatives

Theologically, Faggioli sees a deep crisis in the American Catholic Church, which he describes as "post-liberal, post-democratic, and increasingly fundamentalist." "This new conservative has become significantly more extreme on the right," said the expert on new Catholic movements. Furthermore, the new Catholic conservatives have become "more Americanized and less Catholic." "That is, they are more sectarian, more fundamentalist, and less faithful to the idea that Catholicism is essentially the opposite of sectarianism."

The shift to the right in US Catholicism is also a rejection of European theological traditions. "Once upon a time, we thought European Catholicism was the norm of Catholicism. (...) In the 21st century, the United States is no longer a province of Europe. US Catholicism is no longer a cousin or close relative of European Catholicism," said Faggioli. This raises the question for Europe: "How do we respond to these challenges that exist beyond the United States?"

Warning of a false "Catholic Moment"

For a long time, the Catholic Church in the United States was perceived as "an outsider, an exception, something that didn't quite fit the American project" and was viewed as "alternative, critical, but harmless." This role has fundamentally changed. Referring to the first pope from the United States, Leo XIV, Faggioli warned: "Now we have the first pope from the United States, and this is a historic moment that interacts with a particular Catholic moment. In the United States, I fear this is also part of the temptation to interpret this Catholic moment in America and the American Catholic moment worldwide."

Faggioli called for "a close look at what is happening in this Church right now, because US Catholics are a superpower." Ignoring these political and theological developments in America and the American Catholic Church is "at one's own peril."

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