Gerson Nails It

by Michael Sean Winters

View Author Profile

Join the Conversation

Send your thoughts to Letters to the Editor. Learn more

March 27, 2012

In this morning's Washington Post, Michael gerson looks at the recent Pew survey on Americans' attitudes towards the role of religion in politics. Gerson even-handedly deconstructs the problems in both parties regarding the role of religion in our public and political discourse. But, his opening graph hits precisely on some of the weirdness surrounding the issue in the current campaign:

Religion in the 2012 presidential election is the topic that will launch a thousand PhD theses. The pre-Vatican II Catholic candidate, Rick Santorum, has risen largely on the support of evangelicals, who, before the Second Vatican Council, often regarded the pope as the Antichrist. The former Mormon bishop, Mitt Romney, won Ohio and Michigan (and thus probably the nomination) arguably because of Catholic support. Meanwhile, a significant portion of the Republican electorate regards a president who has affirmed “the resurrection of our savior Jesus Christ” as a closet Muslim.

Gerson also sees the enduring influence of Rev. Jerry Falwell on today's GOP, something I have been pointing out for some time, and not only because my biography of Falwell is now out.

Latest News

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks to the National Collegiate Athletic Association champion teams in her first public appearance since President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race, on the South Lawn of the White House July 22 in Washington. (OSV News/Reuters/Nathan Howard)
Guest Voices
Opinion

The specter of racist chauvinism in the 2024 presidential election

Efran MennyBlack Catholic Messenger
Francis pictured from behind, seated in wheelchair, alone and facing small graves adorned with votives.
Vatican News
Vatican

On All Souls, pope prays at graves of children, miscarried infants

Cindy WoodenCatholic News Service
Archbishop Richard Henning displays the papal bull on his appointment to head the Archdiocese of Boston from Pope Francis during his installation Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Oct. 31 in Boston. (OSV News/The Pilot/Gregory L. Tracy)
News

Henning acknowledges a 'wounded church' at installation as Boston archbishop

Brian Fraga
Wheat blows in the wind.

No voice can surpass the voice of God

Advertisement

1x per dayDaily Newsletters
1x per weekWeekly Newsletters
2x WeeklyBiweekly Newsletters