The American Pope

Thoughts on Pope Leo XIV and Roman Catholicism

Well, we have a new Pope, an American Pope, as Cardinal Robert Prevost of Illinois was elected as Pope Leo XIV.

Over at the Ask N.T. Wright Anything podcast, Tom and I explore the significance of having an American pope, the evolving role of papal authority, and the primacy of Peter through a historical and theological lens. The conversation also highlights the potential for greater ecumenical collaboration among Christian denominations, especially in a time when unity is vital to address modern global and social challenges.

This is a subscriber episode for the show, BUT Apple users can have a free trial by heading to the Ask NT Wright Anything feed and hitting free trial. AND there is a discount code Mike10 which offers users a 10% discount on either monthly or annual subscriptions. You can redeem the code here: https://askntwright.supportingcast.fm/

Also, Stephen Colbert and Fr. James Martin are over the moon about an American Pope!

I was impressed with Pope Leo XIV’s interest in Eastern/Byzantine Catholics. This refers to Christians in Eastern Europe and the Middle East who are by heritage and liturgy Orthodox but are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. In a recent statement the Pope said: “Looking at you,” he said, “I think of the diversity of your origins, your glorious history, and the bitter sufferings that many of your communities have endured or continue to endure.” Interesting fact: artist Andy Warhol was a Byzantine Catholic.

Also, I note with interest that Roman Catholicism is on the rise in the UK, and the number of Catholics will soon eclipse the number of Anglicans for the first time since the Reformation. According to David Roseberry:

I am not a sociologist or demographer, but after reading several reports and watching the slow decline of the Anglican Church in England—and its moribund sister, The Episcopal Church in the United States—I am not surprised. Even within the breakaway Anglican Church in North America, of which I am a part, the same questions are surfacing. The Roman Catholic “takeover,” as some headlines put it, is not a fluke. It’s the fruit of something deeper. And I believe there are lessons here for us in the American Church—Catholic and Protestant alike.

Have I ever thought and been tempted to convert to Catholicism? Well, I have gone from Baptist to Presbyterian to Anglican! So why not one last swim across the Tiber?

The answer is …