A reader has sent a link to an article posted by The American Conservative magazine. This is written by one of its senior editors Rod Dreher who both traces the origin of the term “Mottramism” as applied in the Roman Catholic context and extends its applicability to American politics. See previous posts. The article is entitled “#MAGA Mottramism”. The source of the original term dates back to a c. 2002 reference in an article by
…Canadian Catholic writer Mark Cameron [using] the term “Mottramism” to describe all-in Catholics like the writer Mark Shea, who fell all over themselves to absolve John Paul II of any fault whatsoever in the Catholic abuse scandal.
The application of the term to today’s US politics hardly needs explanation, but anyone wishing to see one should read Dreher’s article. One should bear in mind in doing so that it is written by a journalist well known for his conservative political views and appears in a journal that was founded to allow the presentation of such views even where they differed from those of a prevailing administration claiming to be guided by conservative principles.
Thanks to Dave Lull for sending the link.
