THE STREAM/ John Zmirak-
In the wake of her recent remarks condemning the state of Hawaii for honoring St. Damien of Molokai with a statue in the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has deepened her cultural critique of “settler Christianity.” In fact, she went straight to the source.
“As a lifelong devouted Catholic, a Latinx person with a cervix, and a New Yorker, I would like to know why our like whole religion is centered on someone who seemed to consider himself a White Savior.” Thus Rep. Cortez told a gathering of U.S. Catholic bishops Saturday evening.
The masked, socially distanced leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops listened intently. Many took detailed notes. The progressive National Catholic Reporter just last week dubbed Rep. Ocasio-Cortez “the future of the Catholic Church.” Her “Green New Deal” agenda draws heavily on the work of prominent “Catholic Marxists.”
Savior Privilege
Rep. Cortez seemed energized, rather than chagrined, by the controversy her remarks stirred. “I know that Shaun King and some other theologians whom I respect are questing for a Jesus of Color,” Rep. Cortez told the assembled bishops. “And I honor that. But it doesn’t ring true to me. I mean, Jesus was a Jew, amirite?” She paused, and several bishops murmured assent. Continue reading…
