About this episode

The episode explores JD Vance's interpretation of Catholic Social Teaching and its implications for his political agenda.

JD Vance calls Catholic Social Teaching (CST) a "fully integrated theory of a good human life" — and he's not wrong that it sounds good. So how’s he going to weaponize it? Matthew traces why CST's moral critique of capitalism, innovated by Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum (1891), is tailor-made for Vance's political project. CST may be sincere about human dignity, but it actively suppresses structural analysis, while opening two dangerous doors of moralism: scapegoating powerful enemies above, and blaming the poor for their own immiseration below. Show Notes Rerum Novarum, Leo XIII (1891) Humanum Genus, Leo XIII (1884) Purusha Sukta, Rigveda 10.90 B.R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste (1936) JD Vance, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith David Kertzer, The Popes Against the Jews Canadian Food for Children Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Matthew

Topics covered

• Catholic Social Teaching
• politics
• capitalism
• moral critique
• human dignity
• structural analysis

Keywords

• JD Vance
• Catholic Social Teaching
• capitalism
• moralism
• human dignity
• Rerum Novarum
• political project

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Canadian Food for Children

Books & works: Rerum Novarum, Humanum Genus, Annihilation of Caste, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, Purusha Sukta

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