About this episode

Rowan Williams discusses the contentious relationship between Trump and the Pope amidst America's political climate.

The Pope is 'WEAK on crime and terrible on foreign policy' – this was the verdict of the President of the United States this week, as he appeared to deepen his row with the leader of the Catholic Church. In the magazine this week, Damian Thompson reports on why the President appears to have engaged in his own Holy War with the leader of 1.3 billion Catholics around the world. For this week's Edition , host William Moore is joined by deputy editor Freddy Gray, commissioning editor Lara Brown – and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. Baron Williams, now retired from the Lords, fears there is something 'demonic' in the political culture of the United States right now, as people appear to twist Christian teaching to justify their own causes. He does admit he feels 'slightly sorry' for the US Vice President – and recent Catholic convert – J.D. Vance saying he appears to be 'floundering', following Vance's recent comments that the Pope should 'stick to morality'. Why is the President fighting with the Pope? And what reflections does Rowan have on how involved religious leaders should be in politics? Also on the episode, they discuss: the American right's obsession…

People in this episode

Host: William Moore

Guest: Rowan Williams

Topics covered

• Trump vs the Pope
• political climate
• religion and politics
• American right
• Catholic Church
• cultural commentary

Keywords

• Trump
• Pope
• Rowan Williams
• politics
• Catholic Church
• J.D. Vance
• Solidarity
• American right
• cultural commentary

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Spectator, Catholic Church

Books & works: Solidarity, the Spectator's cover story

Places: United States, London

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