Pope Francis has recently expressed concerns regarding U.S. Senate candidate JD Vance’s interpretation of the Christian principle known as “ordo amoris.” St. Augustine’s axiom reminds us to get love right. It means love should begin at home, move outwards to your neighbor, then your country, and finally the rest of the world. When Vance made this point in a January interview with Sean Hannity, he didn’t mince his words. He cast it an almost biblical Christian concept.
In a notable response to Vance’s assertions, Pope Francis instructed American bishops that “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups.” The Pope cautioned against prioritizing national or group loyalty over universal love for fellow human beings, indicating a clear distinction between his view of Christian love and that promoted by Vance and other nationalist figures.
Vance came under fire from Rory Stewart, former British politician and current academic. In defense, he began using social media strategically to advocate for his side. He took to Twitter to tell critics that, “Just google ‘ordo amoris’.” Educate yourself on the topic, canonization defenders were told, before asking uncomfortable questions about its true meaning. Stewart, who questioned Vance’s intellect and accused him of “false arrogance,” commented on the implications of Vance’s views.
“A bizarre take on John 15:12-13 – less Christian and more pagan tribal. We should start worrying when politicians become theologians, assume to speak for Jesus, and tell us in which order to love.” – Rory Stewart
Vance received his law degree from Yale University. Stewart went on to become a professor in the practice of grand strategy at that very same school. This back-and-forth between the two public intellectuals illuminates a larger ideological battle. More importantly, it tackles the intersection of nationalism and Christianity within modern politics.
Though details of their conversation are not yet public, Pope Francis did meet with Vance briefly on Sunday. After the meeting Vicar of the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin was dispatched to elucidate the significance of “ordo amoris” to Vance. This decision reflects the Vatican’s commitment to address misinterpretations of Christian doctrine.
This issue is bigger than just Vance. Other political leaders, both here and abroad, have recently been accused of using Christianity as a vehicle to advance Christian nationalist agendas. To take one example, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini was charged with instrumentalizing Christian values in the service of authoritarian populism. Viktor Orbán is the starting point and touchstone for Vance and other U.S. self-described “post-liberals.” What’s more, he claims, a right conception of “ordo amoris” is inextricably linked with an illiberal nationalism.
As this has happened, Pope Francis, among others, has strongly condemned the rise of Christian nationalism. He implores leaders not to mix the two into one soup. His warnings resonate in light of comments made by Giorgia Meloni, another Italian politician who asserted that “The Christian identity can be secular rather than religious.”
This vibrant debate is a manifestation of the continued culture and political war within American Christianity over how to define love and community. Pope Francis is the most powerful voice in global Catholicism urging a more expansive interpretation. This approach is in striking opposition to the more parochial lens preferred by folks like Vance.