Paleo Protestant Pudcast Do Protestants Catch Colds if the Pope Sneezes?
May 14, 2025
A wide-ranging conversation about how papal health and elections ripple through Protestant life. They compare populist figures, media spectacle, and the political interest that drives papal coverage. The panel debates whether a conservative pope matters for Protestants and how Catholic practice and visibility shape Protestant expectations. They also unpack papal history, national influence, and what an American pontiff might mean.
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Media Interest in Popes Is Politically Motivated
- The global fascination with conclaves and papal elections is driven largely by the Pope's political and cultural implications, not purely theological interest.
- Korey Maas notes media hunger for what a pope means for issues like abortion, immigration, and economics.
Don't Treat Rome As 'Too Big To Fail' For Protestant Health
- Arguments that Protestants need a conservative pope for 'cover' are questionable and sometimes amount to 'too big to fail' thinking about the Catholic Church.
- Maas suggests a worse pope might drive some Catholics away, but many unhappy Catholics simply leave religion entirely.
Evangelical Admiration For Rome Is Politically Driven
- Interest in the papacy among American conservatives grew with movement conservatism and the abortion politics alliance between evangelicals and Rome.
- Miles Smith attributes evangelical Catholic admiration to shared political goals around abortion rather than deep ecclesial affinity.