JD Vance’s increasingly apocalyptic religious rhetoric, and his relationship with billionaire Peter Thiel, raise questions about the theology shaping the US Vice-President’s politics and his growing distance from Vatican teaching.

For a time during the early days of the Trump presidency, as Trump was showing his colours, a few people (including the author) had the thought that if Trump died or became totally demented, JD Vance would then take over and bring some sanity to the administration.

History since then has demonstrated just how wrong that view was.

Forward, the US progressive Jewish newspaper, recently exposed many of Vance’s most extreme and ridiculous moments in an article by Mira Fox.

Perhaps the most ridiculous Vance intervention in public debate was his comment that Pope Leo XIV should be careful when he talks about theology. This was in response to the Pope’s comments about the Iran war: “I think it is very, very important for the Pope to be careful when he talks about theology. You’ve got to make sure it’s anchored in truth and that’s one of the things I........

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