Should Pastors Be Political? ~ Ben Dunson

10/15/22 • 45 min

Should pastors be political?
Before we instinctively leap to the answer “NO!”...
What if we examine that question in the light of what the Church teaches are a pastor’s three primary responsibilities - teaching, sanctifying and governing? And what if by “political” we simply mean the many things relating to our life in common in the body politic, as opposed to the political vocation or mere partisanship?
Joining us to help tackle these questions is Dr. Ben Dunson, author of “Should pastors be political?”, published by First Things in August 2022. Dr. Dunson is editor-in-chief of American Reformer and visiting professor of New Testament at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Greenville, South Carolina.
Documents/Websites Referenced
Dr. Ben Dunson biographyBen Dunson, “Should Pastors Be Political?” First Things (August 26, 2022)

[email protected]www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierPlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

[email protected]www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierPlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Previous Episode

Al Smith, America’s 1st Catholic Presidential Nominee (and Enemy of the KKK) - Robert Slayton

Long before Joe Biden, John Kerry and JFK threw their hats in the ring for President, Alfred E. Smith blazed the trail in 1928 as the first Catholic nominee for the White House.
Smith’s story is the stuff of legend. The son of a poor Irish immigrant, Smith grew up in Lower Manhattan, laboured in the local fish market, served in the New York assembly for over 10 years, and won four elections for Governor. During the 1928 presidential election, he encountered an avalanche of anti-Catholic bigotry, much of it spearheaded by the Ku Klux Klan.
Join us as we examine the life and legacy of a good man who lived and defended the faith in public office, and whose witness can help shape our vision of what to look for in any politician, let alone a Catholic one. Our guest is Dr. Robert Slayton, Professor Emeritus of History at Chapman University and author of Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith.Documents/Websites Referenced
Dr. Robert Slayton biography

Robert Slayton, “Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith”

Alfred E. Smith, “Catholic and Patriot”, The Atlantic (May 1927)

“How Al Smith and FDR countered the KKK and anti-Catholic prejudice in politics”

“The Knights vs. The Klan”

“Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire”

[email protected]www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierPlease note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Next Episode

A Landlord State and Tenant Church Rebuild Notre Dame ~ Elizabeth Lev

On April 15, 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was engulfed in fire. The conflagration was eventually extinguished - but it wasn’t long before flames were once again being fanned.
Plans for re-building the church have ignited controversy, with some critics arguing that the proposals are tantamount to the “Disney-fication” of the 900-year-old monument to Our Lady.
The debate is made all the more complex by the fact that the cathedral isn’t actually owned by the local Archdiocese. Like tens of thousands of churches in Europe, it’s owned by the State.
Our guest for this episode is one of the most well-known expatriate art historians in Europe. Dr. Elizabeth Lev has lived and worked as a tour guide in Rome for over 20 years. She teaches at Duquesne University’s Italian campus as well as the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. Dr. Lev is the author of multiple books, the most recent of which traces the history of St. Joseph’s depiction in art.

Documents/Websites Referenced
Dr. Elizabeth Lev’s official websiteDr. Elizabeth Lev, “Sorry, Internet: Notre Dame is not being ‘wreckovated’”, The Washington Post (December 8, 2021)
“France Approves Controversial Plan to Renovate Notre-Dame Cathedral”, Smithsonian Magazine (December 14, 2021)
“What is Notre Dame Cathedral for?” The Pillar (November 30, 2021)
“Notre Damned”, The Catholic Herald (January 27, 2022)
History of Notre-Dame de Paris, Britannica.com