November 13 AOTM will be hosting a panel debate on the "phantom" heresy of Americanism. Americanism, which some disputed was an actual heresy (hence the term "phantom"), encompasses several beliefs about how the Catholic faith should be combined with secular American culture. Opponents of Americanism allege this outlook has led to an absorption of the Catholic faith by the secular culture. One recent critic puts it, "There's not a dime's worth of difference between Catholics and their fellow Americans now in moral outlook or religious practice. We fornicate at the same rate. We divorce at the same rate. We abort our children at the same rate. We are materially rich and so, in true chauvinistic fashion, we claim favored-nation status before the Lord."
It is clear that the Catholic faith in America is in decline. We've found three men (two veterans and one newcomer) who don't at all agree on whether Americanism is to blame. Michael Matt (Editor, Remnant), David Deavel (Associate Editor, Logos), and Ed Hester (Faculty, Providence Academy) will bring their varying perspectives to the table in an effort to understand how we've degenerated from a nation with a growing Catholic faith to one where diocese struggle to remain viable amidst shrinking mass attendance and mass apostasy.
The work of each panel member would be to each, on his own, compose his response to - and suggested remedies for – in consideration of Shaw's assertion:
If the Catholic Church in the United States means to survive, Americanism must finally- nearly a century after Testem Benevolentiae undertook to do the job - be laid to rest.
Argument of the Month South Saint Paul
St. Augustine's Catholic Church
408 3rd Street North, South Saint Paul, MN 55075
For More Info:
kent@aotmclub.com
