About this episode

The episode discusses the conflict between Pope Leo and Trump regarding war, nationalism, and just war theory amidst recent political events.

Religion scholars Brad Onishi and Dan Miller recap a week of conflict in which Pope Leo criticized war and bombing in a statement widely read as aimed at the U.S. approach to Iran, prompting a lengthy Trump Truth Social attack and backlash over an AI image of Trump as Jesus. JD Vance and Speaker Mike Johnson told the Pope to “stay in his lane” and invoked just war theory, leading Miller to explain its criteria and argue the Iran conflict fails them; the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a response defending the Pope’s teaching authority and the church’s just war tradition. The hosts frame the dispute as exposing fissures within MAGA Christian nationalism, discuss claims of nationalism turning the nation and leader into God, and analyze Pete Hegseth’s rhetoric and prayer language as further evidence, alongside GOP figures and media urging the Pope to avoid politics while promoting religion in government. 00:00 Pope Versus Trump 01:07 Why Religion Matters 02:03 Iran War And Distraction 03:22 Papal Statement And Trump Blowup 04:16 AI Jesus Backlash 06:37 JD Vance Enters Fight 09:00 Pope Warns War Profiteers 10:14 Mike Johnson Just War Spin 11:53 Just War Theory Explained…

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