Podcast Club ONLINE: The Pope, Politics, and Religion in America Today
Details
For this week's meeting, we're asking that you BOTH listen to a short podcast and read three ARTICLES.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected as the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025, one year ago. As the only Pope from the US and a surprise-pick, what significance might his papacy have on America? Trump's second term, which preceded the Pope's ascension by a little over 3 months, has been punctuated by religious references, particularly since the Iran War -- often to negative effect, such as Trump's very public conflict with the Pope. Trump claims to be Christian (nondenominational), his administration is heavily populated by conservative Catholics, and observers say Trump has more Catholics in senior roles than perhaps any other president in US history. Six of the nine Supreme Court Justices are Catholic, and Trump's predominant base is white evangelical Christian. What can we make of all this? Where is America trending as far as religion, and how might it impact US politics?
This week's podcast is Apple News Today, with host Sam Sanders and guest Scott Detrow, co-author of the upcoming book American Pope: Leo XIV's Road From the South Side of Chicago to Vatican City, co-host of NPR's All Things Considered, and NPR's Senior Editor of Religion and Spirituality.
The required articles all look at recent polling data relevant to religion, the Pope, Trump, his senior administration, and/or American adults.
(31 min. - shortest weekly listening assignment ever!)
2. ARTICLE #1
Please go to Article #1 HERE. This is a May 6, 2026 article on an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll on Pope Leo, Trump, and Hegseth.
3. ARTICLE #2
Please go to Article #2 HERE. This is a March 3, 2026 Gallup article about polling data on religious engagement in the US. It reports data up to 2025.
4. ARTICLE #3
Please go to Article #3 HERE. This is an April 16, 2026 AP article focusing on a Gallup poll, also published on that date, about the increase in religiosity of young men in the US. It reports data up to 2025.
What's a podcast club?
It's like a book club for podcasts. Each week we discuss an interesting and currently-relevant episode from podcasters like Ezra Klein, Michael Shermer, or Russ Roberts. We start off as a large group and spend most of the time talking in small break-out groups, which we remix 3 times during the course of the evening. Our conversations are casual and open. We ask that everyone speak respectfully at all times, and we encourage free and concise discussion relevant to the week's podcast topic. To do this, we try to adhere to Grice's Maxims: https://bit.ly/2p4uSQm
Ultimately, the idea is to help each other think a little differently, learn a thing or two and have some fun.