Pope Leo poses huge problem for far-right Christians who 'embraced a moral filth': expert

Pope Leo XIV poses a huge problem to far-right Christian elements who have fallen in with the MAGA movement, University of Pennsylvania religious studies professor Anthea Butler told MS NOW's Nicolle Wallace on Tuesday — not just because he opposes much of Trump's war and immigration agenda, but because he sets an example for Christianity that they can't follow.

"I think, Anthea, what it reveals about how easily other religious leaders have been co-opted and become drunk with power and proximity to power also comes into sharper focus, right?" said Wallace. "The pope is doing what the pope would always do, and I'm sure the pope doesn't find any of his statements out of the ordinary. I'm sure part of him is surprised they're even newsworthy. But it does reveal how American conservative religious figures have capitulated and kowtowed to Trump over the last decade."

"Yeah, absolutely," agreed Butler.

"I think it shows up, you know, really mainly for a few groups, let's say," she continued. "First off, evangelicals, I think that this makes them look absolutely awful. I can't say it any stronger than that. It is basically an abdication from their moral core. If they said they wanted to have pro-life and there's nothing else that matters, and they have embraced Trump the way that they have, then that puts a stain on top of their moral questions and also their witness that they would talk about. That's number one."

"I think, for other religious leaders like Prosperity Gospel people, Pentecostals and others, their wholesale embrace of Trump shows how just emotionally and morally empty and bankrupt they are," said Butler. "This is very easy. The gospel is easy. The message of Jesus is easy. You want peace. You don't want the sword. You know you don't want to hurt people."

"And so by embracing Trump, they have embraced — you know, I have to say it like this — they have embraced a moral filth, a morality that they don't seem to have anymore," she added. "And when you hear the real morality of what the pope is saying, you know, basic everyday gospel stories, everyday things that Jesus said, I find it fascinating that everybody is melting down because he's just saying things that are normal Christian beliefs."

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