Why Exvangelicals are Horny for Catholicism

But that doesn't mean we're converting.

The term “exvangelical” is highly debated this days; some of us feeling burnt out from it and maybe the variety of people who associate with it. Maybe people still identify with elements of evangelicalism, or maybe people are strongly feeling other Christian identities, or maybe people are more comfortable with new labels like “atheist” or “pagan” or “agnostic.” But for the purposes of this post, exvangelical is simple and to the point: someone who was once an evangelical, but no longer takes part in evangelical church life and has strong opposition to many core evangelical beliefs. And by that definition, I am very much myself an exvangelical.

While the news tends to focus on the evangelical demographic as the conservative, white, nationalist supporters of Trump (while ignoring the large population of Black and Latinx evangelicals), recently they’ve been covering more and more focus on Catholics. From the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court and the stories of her charismatic Catholic People of Praise association, to the Pope’s publishing of the Fratelli Tutti, noted for its anti-capitalist, anti-borders stance, to the Pope’s public support of same-sex civil unions, perhaps Catholicism is er… having a moment.

Unlike evangelicals, who, at least in its white representation (I do always appreciate when journalists refer to the Trump supporter-types as white evangelicals instead of just evangelicals) are firm in their majority support of ultraconservative policies, Catholics seem to be more widespread across the political spectrum. I can think of the far-right Catholics like Matt Walsh, interpreting the faith as some sort of macho, dominionist thing, while Xorje Olivares is a leftist, queer Latino and a Catholic who writes at https://heyxorje.com.

As exvangelicals saw the two latter proclamations of the pope, we posted the articles gleefully and in awe. We were so delighted, almost in-your-face about it. (And honestly, if the fact that her confirmation to the Supreme Court is going to permanently damage the rights of many Americans wasn’t so terrifying, as a former Pentecostal, I would have been ALL OVER learning about Barrett’s charismatic Catholicism.) I saw many more exvangelicals post about the Pope’s recent actions than I saw actual Catholics doing so.

Obviously I don’t speak for everyone, but I think most exvangelicals who still consider themselves Christians identify strongly with the Catholic left, certainly more than the conservative Christianity we grew up with. I’ve long found Catholicism interesting, despite having only attended one Catholic service in my life: at Notre Dame in Paris, on Easter Sunday 2008, during a semester spent in Europe. I remember respectfully not taking communion, the service being entirely in French and Latin and thus I understood nothing except standing and sitting along with the crowd, and the fact that, as the cathedral is a major landmark, there was nonstop tourism during the service — even photography of the service itself, even on the most holy of Christian holidays. But still, I have found Catholicism increasingly interesting, especially during Pope Francis’ tenure.

Perhaps fairly, the secular response to folks’ glee over the Pope’s “progressiveness” was critical: “Uh, actually guys, the Pope didn’t SAY capitalism was bad, and that’s not an order for Catholics or anything.” “Um, actually, same-sex civil union support isn’t enough, and he’s not supporting anything substantial, and he still thinks gender fluidity is bad…” “Catholics have the worst sexual cover-up of all time…” “They still don’t let women be priests…”

Yes. We know. I think people who maybe weren’t raised in conservative, evangelical homes are misreading the intent behind our perceived horniness for Catholicism. It’s not that we don’t see the vast, massive flaws. It’s not that we think the theology isn’t problematic. It’s that we find awe that there is a major Christian church, the largest Christian denomination at least partly full of conservative voters, out there saying this kind of stuff at all.

We’ve NEVER heard a prominent Southern Baptist leaders boldly endorse same-sex civil unions. We’ve never heard any of our pastors denounce capitalism or wealth or reject imperialism. For some of us, to see this in the news at all — it’s truly astonishing. It’s a reminder that yes, maybe Christian progressivism is possible. Because even those of us who attend those mainline progressive churches know that the Christian left is small and powerless compared to the immense power of state and church in the hands of greedy people seeking to stay rich at any cost and abuse Christ’s principles in the meantime.

Catholicism does seem far more forgiving than conservative Protestantism. How good it must be to feel absolved of wrongdoing instead of being trapped in your head about the sins and uncertain of your forgiveness or salvation. The history is dramatic, the art is magnificent, the culture feels fun, the traditions are fascinating, and there’s only one human authority figure, and you try your best to derive morals from whatever he says.

Disaffected exvangelicals aren’t interested in becoming Catholics, no matter how horny we may seem for it. We have been traumatized already by forced gender roles, forced chastity, coverups of scandals, the guilt of religion being weaponized against us by our families, shame over sexuality, and inconsistent or harmful ideologies regarding racism. But these little signs show hope that maybe we can progress, that something minutely good is coming from something that’s, let face it, can be so incredibly evil.

I’ve heard the Pope, head of one of the most powerful, wealthiest, and often problematic institutions in the history of mankind, say more progressive things than I’ve heard my own parents say. If I find awe in that, let me.

But that being said, we often find it easier to forgive sins on the behalf of others than we do forgive sins of those who wrong us directly. Former Catholics tell me horror stories of their religion with as much pain as I do when I tell horror stories of my former denomination. The historical impact of almost all Christian denominations has often been one of pain and misery in one way or another. None of us are blameless, and were all religion to disappear tomorrow, there would still be harmful ideology, capitalism, and bigotry of all kinds.

I know Catholicism is flawed. I know far-right Catholicism has been extremely harmful throughout history. But while evangelical denominations seem dead with capitalism, bigotry, and nationalism, with no firm or consistent theology outside of brainwashed imperialism support and anti-science rhetoric, there seems to be something Christ-like left in the Catholic Church, from what I can see. And that’s hope.