The Swapping of Roles- Popes, Politics and Policies. The pope versus JD Vance.

About this sermon

We live in bizarre times when the vice president of the American administration asks the pope if he would be kind enough to speak with more theological clarity, and the pope address is the world in order to change the policies of the American political administration. There is something deeply strange happening: a Vice President asking the Pope to be more precise theologically… while the Pope appears to be speaking in political terms. Have the roles been reversed? ⸻ Main body: In this video, I explore the paradox at the heart of the recent exchange between Pope Leo and J.D. Vance. Traditionally, the Church forms consciences and clarifies theology—while political leaders act within that moral framework. But here, something unusual has happened. J.D. Vance appeals to St Augustine and the tradition of just war theory, asking for theological precision. Meanwhile, the Pope makes sweeping moral claims about war and violence that raise serious questions about their theological grounding. So who is doing theology—and who is doing politics? To answer that, we look at: * St Augustine’s understanding of war, peace, and order * St Thomas Aquinas’ criteria for a just war * The historical witness of Christian rulers like Alfred the Great and Louis IX * And the deeper question: what is the proper role of the papacy in political affairs? This is not simply about one disagreement. It is about whether the Church speaks with the depth of her own tradition—or risks being drawn into the language of politics. ⸻ Let me know what you think in the comments: 👉 Has the balance between theology and politics shifted—and if so, why? Please consider subscribing to my Substack. https://drgavinashenden.substack.com/

Topics

• Christian Living