The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has pushed back against remarks by Vice President JD Vance, after he said Pope Leo XIV should “be careful” when speaking on theological matters, reported Forbes. The statement from the bishops’ Committee on Doctrine comes amid a debate over religion in US public life.
The debate has also been fuelled by a separate controversy involving President Donald Trump and his recent use of religious imagery online.
What did JD Vance say?
Vance made the remarks at a Turning Point USA event, where he questioned the pope’s comments on theology, particularly in relation to his views on war. He said the pontiff should be cautious when choosing to “opine on matters of theology,” Forbes reported.
His comments came as the pope spoke about the moral framework surrounding war, an issue that has long been part of Catholic teaching.
Also Read: Tensions between Pope Leo and Donald Trump widen amid US-Iran war? Row explained
In response, the bishops’ Committee on Doctrine issued a statement defending the pope’s authority. The committee said the pope is “not merely offering opinions on theology,” but is acting as the “supreme pastor of the universal Church” and “preaching the Gospel.”
The statement added that the pope’s position shows a “thousand-year tradition” of Church teaching, and that war is only justified in self-defense and after all peace efforts have failed.
Trump ‘Jesus’ image adds to controversy
The dispute comes as Trump faces backlash over AI-generated images depicting him in religious settings. He recently shared an image of Jesus embracing him, writing: “The Radical Left Lunatics might not like this, but I think it is quite nice!!!”
Also Read: Why did Donald Trump delete his ‘Jesus-like’ AI image? Here’s what we know
The post followed an earlier image portraying Trump in a Christ-like role, which drew criticism across the political spectrum. Senator Bernie Sanders called it “deranged” and “egomaniacal behavior,” while several Christian commentators said it “crosses the line.”
Trump later defended the earlier image, saying it was meant as “a little fun” and that he removed it to avoid confusion, The Independent reported.