Ryan Burge set out to learn how many Catholics agree with church teachings on three key pro-life issues: abortion, euthanasia and the death penalty. The answer? Fewer than 1 percent. This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley are joined by Ryan, an associate professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University and the author of the “Graphs about Religion” Substack, to discuss his findings on the beliefs of American Catholics today.
They discuss:
- Trends in Catholic opinion on pro-life issues
- How faith-based beliefs and secular politics interact in our polarized society
- The role of data in understanding religious trends and effectively communicating church teaching
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss the eucharistic pilgrimages taking place ahead of July’s National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. They also cover the controversial commencement speech given by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker at Benedictine College.
Links from the show:
- Cafeteria Catholicism?
- Planning to join up with the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage? Here’s what you need to know.
- Harrison Butker’s commencement speech and the danger of a Catholic ‘dead traditionalism’
- Young U.S. Catholics want more orthodoxy. That doesn’t mean they reject Vatican II.
- Podcast: When Catholic doctrine can change—and when it can’t
What’s on tap?
Carajillos (2 parts cold brew, 2 parts Licor 43)
