Home
/
RELIGION & LIBERTY ONLINE
/
An invitation to an encounter
An invitation to an encounter
Jul 13, 2025 12:57 AM

It was with great interest that I have been following exchanges related to the now well-discussed article that appeared in the Vatican associated journal La Civilta` Cattolica several weeks ago. Written by Fr. Antonio Spadaro, SJ and Rev. Marcel Figueroa, a Presbyterian minister, the former being the editor of La Civilta` Cattolica while the latter is the editor of the Argentine edition of the Holy See’s official newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.

In their essay, they outline in vigorous terms their concern that a certain “ecumenism of hate” is being fostered in the United States via an unholy alliance between conservative Catholics (or what they call “Catholic Integralists”) and Evangelical fundamentalists. They express concern at what they argue amounts to bined retrofitting of apocalypticism, “Prosperity Gospel” themes and the advocacy of a “theocratic type of state” under a banner of conservative Catholicism.

This provocative piece is clearly designed to create a debate. But thus far, no real debate has ensued. In light of the lack of an open and respectful debate, as well as Fr. Spadaro’s call to dialogue, encounter and conversation, I have personally invited Fr. Spadaro and Rev. Figueroa to participate in a respectful forum at Acton University. My invitation includes the following description of the event:

Acton University is somewhat similar to the type of summer university which is mon in Europe. Each year, Acton University brings together over 1000 participants from around the world and from many Christian confessions (as well as some non-Christians) to hear lectures and participate in discussions which address theological, philosophical, political, economic, social, and diplomatic themes. It is one of the world’s largest meetings and sustained conversations of Catholics, Evangelicals, Eastern Orthodox Christians and members of other faiths on the intersection of theology, politics, and economics.”

See the entire letter, in English,Italian and Spanish.

If these gentlemen want a fruitful engagement of their ideas, this would be it. When they both declined, due to busy schedules, I modified the invitation in effect to say, “any time, any place, at our expense.” They declined again.

The arguments these gentlemen pose have encountered substantive and serious critiques, including here, here, here, and even one from a fellow Jesuit, here. Among other things, it has been argued that their view of the role and history of religion and politics in America is incorrect. It has also been argued that they misrepresent Evangelical Christianity in America, and misrepresent the present-day relationship between Evangelical Christians and Catholics in America, by using charged language such as “ecumenism of hate.” An adequate defense of Fr. Spadaro and Rev. Figueroa’s position requires a response to these critiques.

As yet, they have not responded to these very serious critiques – critiques which, if left substantially unanswered, would suggest that the positions defended in their article lack veracity.

The invitation still stands. Fr. Spadaro? Rev. Figueroa?

Featured Image: Juan Rubiano, Vatican angle° 0, CC BY 2.0

Comments
Welcome to mreligion comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
RELIGION & LIBERTY ONLINE
Finding A Way Out of Poverty in American Cities
“For too many of the poor in today’s America, life is essentially that of a client,”says Elise Hilton in this week’s Acton Commentary. “The government cares for their needs: housing, food, education. Spending one’s life as client creates an entitlement mentality: ‘I am here to receive. I am owed something. I depend on others for my needs and desires.’” A place is where people are invested. They create homes, send their kids to school and dance lessons, own businesses, shop...
Do Government Welfare Programs ‘Subsidize’ Low Wage Employers?
As Elise pointed out earlier today, economist Donald pletely eviscerates former Labor Secretary Robert Reich’s call to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. As Boudreaux says, “Reich’s video is infected, from start to finish, with too many other errors to count.” But Boudreaux also wrote a letter to Reich countering the economically ignorant (though increasingly popular!) claim that “we subsidize low wage employers” like Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, and almost every mom-and-pop business in America through government welfare programs...
Radio Free Acton: George Weigel on Pope Francis
On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we’re joined in studio by eminent Catholic scholar George Weigel of the Ethics and Public Policy Center to discuss the pontificate of Pope Francis, his coverage by the global media, and his ing trip to the United States. Weigel is joined in studio by Acton’s President and Co-Founder Rev. Robert A. Sirico, and the discussion is moderated by Acton Director of Research Samuel Gregg. Listen via the audio player below. ...
7 Figures: Christians Decline Sharply as Share of Population
The Christian share of the U.S. population is declining, while the number of U.S. adults who do not identify with any organized religion is growing, according to an a new survey by the Pew Research Center pares the religious landscape of 2015 to 2007. Here are seven figures you should know from the report. 1. Between 2007 and 2014, the share of the U.S. population that identifies as Christian fell from 78.4 percent to 70.6 percent, driven primarily by declines...
Kishore Jayabalan: Pope Francis, The Economy And Missing The Mark
Kishore Jayabalan, Director of Istituto Acton in Rome, evaluates a new book on Pope Francis and the economy. The book, Papa Francesco: Questa Economia Uccide [Pope Francis: This Economy Kills], is written by two Italian journalists known for skirting the ethical standards for Vatican journalists. For that alone, Jayabalan does not hold their work in high esteem. Writing at Crisis Magazine, Jayabalan is curious as to the motives of authors Andrea Tornielli and o Galeazzi: As I started reading Papa...
Athenians and Visigoths: Neil Postman’s Graduation Speech
While it could be argued that youth is wasted on the young, it is indisputable mencement addresses are wasted on young graduates. Sitting in a stuffy auditorium waiting to receive a parchment that marks the beginning of one’s student loan repayments is not the most conducive atmosphere for soaking up wisdom. Insight, which can otherwise seep through the thickest of skulls, cannot pierce mortarboard. Most colleges and universities recognize this fact and schedule the graduation speeches accordingly. Schools regularly choose...
Sex Trafficking CAN Be Eliminated
There are few things more horrifying than the sexual exploitation of a child. Perhaps it is made even worse to think that those who are meant to protect the child (parents, police, court officials) plicit in the harm of that child. No place on Earth was worse than Cambodia. But that has changed. According to International Justice Mission (IJM), Cambodian officials have said, “No more,” and they meant it. In the early 2000s, the Cambodian government estimated that 30 percent...
L’Engle and the Church
This week the University Bookman published an essay in which I reflect on some of the lessons we can learn from Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, especially related to the recent discovery of an excised section. L’Engle, I argue, is part of a longer tradition of classical conservative thought running, in the modern era, from Burke to Kirk. Although L’Engle’s narrative vision is drenched in Christianity, she is often thought of holding to a rather liberal, rather than traditional...
American higher education: Where free speech goes to die
You’ve heard of that mythical place where elephants go to die? Apparently, these giants “know” they are going to die, and they head off to a place known only to them. Free speech in the United States goes off to die as well, but there is no myth surrounding this. Free speech dies in our colleges and universities. Just ask American Enterprise Institute’s Christina Sommers. Sommers is a former philosophy professor and AEI scholar who recently spoke at Oberlin College....
Why Religious Organizations Are Preemptively Exempt from Taxation
Chief Justice John Marshalwrote, in the Supreme Court ruling in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), “That the power to tax involves the power to destroy; that the power to destroy may defeat and render useless the power to create . . . are propositions not to be denied.” Yet for the last 196 years, people have repeatedly tried to deny those propositions. The latest example involves the Supreme Court’s pending ruling on the same-sex marriage issue will affect the non-profit status...
Related Classification
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.mreligion.com All Rights Reserved