Anthea Butler on intellectual Catholicism, evangelicalism and why the ‘prosperity gospel’ persists

“Spiritualizing” something usually makes it less concrete, less “real.” Not for Anthea Butler, the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought at the University of Pennsylvania. In this episode of “The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.,” Anthea shares her journey from Catholicism to Pentecostalism and back to Catholicism, crediting the Catholic Church’s rich intellectual tradition and dedication to working with the poor and marginalized.

They discuss:

- Anthea’s Black Catholic heritage in Louisiana and Texas

- The great, yet relatively unknown, Catholic intellectual tradition

- How evangelical theology seeps into the Catholic Church in the United States

- Spirituality lived through action on behalf of the poor

Link to Father Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/07/15/anthea-butler-james-martin-spiritual-life-251125

Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at:  thespirituallife@americamedia.org

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