Why Postliberalism Failed
Thomas D. Howes & James M. Patterson
Why Postliberalism Failed is a podcast that critiques the recent rise of interest in Catholic integralism and rightwing authoritarianism. James M. Patterson (Ave Maria) and Thomas Howes (Princeton) take the listener through the logical fallacies, theological errors, historical disasters, and political violence that has defined various “postliberal” regimes—all of which failed. They also connect these discussions to the rapid rise of postliberal ideas into rightwing politics in America and elsewhere in the world.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 23, 2024 • 1h 12min
Is It In The Parishes? with Fr. Stephen Vrazel
We waited until after the election to upload this episode with friend of the podcast Fr. Stephen Vrazel. Fr. Vrazel gives us a sense of how much postliberalism is part of the ordinary life of a parish and where he has or has not seen it crop up in Catholic circles he travels in.
Nov 6, 2024 • 1h 14min
What Weigel Gets Wrong
A recent episode of The Remnant featured its host, Jonah Goldberg, discussing contemporary political Catholicism with George Weigel. Weigel dismissed postliberalism and integralism as primarily "online" and hence marginal. Weigel reveals his age by dismissing online media as though it were not the primary source for young people to learn about the world. We discuss that more here.
Oct 21, 2024 • 1h 20min
God's Swiss Army Knife
This episode is about Fr. Martin Rhonheimer, one of the most important living theologians on the subject of human dignity, the common good, and democracy--although his work extends even beyond these subjects.
Oct 17, 2024 • 1h 29min
Americanism
James talks about the misconceptions around the heresy of "Americanism" and how Ven. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen repurposed the term to defend a form of Catholic Republicanism. Tom patiently listens, as James clearly is way, way too interested in Sheen while, at the same time, regularly forgets names.
Oct 17, 2024 • 1h 24min
The Social Contract with Paul DeHart
James interviews his friend Paul DeHart about his recent book The Social Contract in Ruins on U. of Missouri Press. Meanwhile, Tom saves his energy to make one comment during the entire episode because he has COVID and can barely stay conscious.
Sep 19, 2024 • 1h 4min
Faith through Competition with Clara Piano
This week's episode features a flailing James and a locked in Thomas discussing the economics of religion with Ole Miss economics professor Clara Piano. She explains recent academic literature that posits the relatively weak faith of the Middle Ages and how religious competition through pluralism has led to stronger faith rather than state-imposed establishments.
Sep 19, 2024 • 43min
Francisco Franco, Part 1 (with Bonus Technical Difficulties!)
Today, James and Tom talk about the rhetorical role the still critically dead Spanish authoritarian Francisco Franco plays in contemporary postliberal discourse. Then, Tom's computer dies, and he had to record the ending by himself with the inclusion of possible copyright violations that will probably get this channel permanently demonetized.
Sep 19, 2024 • 1h 8min
Civil Rights with Dawn Eden Goldstein
In today's episode, we spend some time talking to Dr. Dawn Eden Goldstein about American Jesuit priest Father Louis J. Twomey and his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. We also speak to her about Father Edward Dowling, another American Jesuits who dedicated his life to people with addictions, troubled marriages, and nervous disorders. Their examples provide an alternative vision for Catholicism in America that serves the stated ends of postliberalism but without all of the weird baggage.
Sep 19, 2024 • 1h 23min
Immigration with Daniel Di Martino
In this episode, we speak with Daniel Di Martino about historical and contemporary postliberal policies on immigration and how they, combined with arguments for tariffs, would make working Americans considerably worse off.
Aug 20, 2024 • 1h 36min
What the Sigma? (Plínio Salgado and Brazilian Integralist Action)
In this week's episode, James talks about another example of a postliberal party that failed to secure a position within in government, the Brazilian Integralist Action Party. Plínio Salgado founded the party after a wealthy friend sponsored him to meet with Benito Mussolini in 1930. Salgado followed Mussolini's advice and created the Catholic authoritarian party in 1932 but ultimately could not exercise sufficient influence over the factions in the authoritarian regime of Getúlio Vargas.
