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Newt Gingrich: What Kind of Catholic Is He? [Born Lutheran, Turned Baptist, Now Catholic]
Washington Post ^ | December 23, 2011 | Melinda Henneberger

Posted on 12/23/2011 10:27:32 AM PST by Steelfish

Newt Gingrich: What Kind of Catholic Is He? Melinda Henneberger

December 23

The Newt Gingrich who talks about finding ways around the U.S. Supreme Court ban on school prayer and says public schools should be required to “teach the Creator” is not immediately recognizable to those who knew the former House speaker when he was not much of a church-goer. These days, Gingrich is running an overtly faith-based presidential campaign with echoes of televangelist Pat Robertson’s run in 1988.

But on a quieter tour of Catholic America that began more than a year ago, the GOP candidate has been sounding religious themes for some time. Since 2010, Gingrich and his third wife, Callista, have been showing their documentary film about Pope John Paul II, “Nine Days that Changed the World,” in Catholic churches and schools across the country.

And as an announcement for a September screening at Trinity Heights in Sioux City, Iowa, made clear, politics, faith and commerce come together in these outings: “Newt and Callista will be available after the film for DVD signing and a signing of the book, ‘Rediscovering God in America.’ ”

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has praised the influence of his wife, Callista Gingrich, and the choir she performs with when discussing his conversion to Catholicism.

Gingrich’s critics look askance at this busy intersection of personal and public, new faith and old, tribal politics, Roman practice and American commerce. They question the timing and sincerity of the former speaker’s conversion to Catholicism two years ago, especially in light of the Gingrich’s unspoken but unmistakable “I’m one of you” message in the venues where he shows his film to fellow Catholics, who are a key swing voting bloc.

That’s perhaps especially the case because the candidate, who was born a Lutheran and previously a....

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Politics; Religion
KEYWORDS: baptist; catholic; lutheran; newtgingrich; politicsreligion; toowhite
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1 posted on 12/23/2011 10:27:37 AM PST by Steelfish
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To: Steelfish

Newtie is a ‘born again’ novus ordo, phony Catholic. New members like these continue to dilute the congregations as they are truly agnostics and believe in nothing.

Newt believed that his former marriages were negated by the very fact that he became a ‘Catholic’ while the very reverse is true. Church believes that joining the church in order to negate prior marriages is a SIN!

Sorry, Newtie, no White Hut and no absolution for a serial marriager.


2 posted on 12/23/2011 10:33:07 AM PST by IbJensen (Demint for President, Paul for Treasury Secretary, Apaio For AG)
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To: Steelfish

Three wives three religious conversions. Good for him and it is up to him. But, he won’t be getting my vote.


3 posted on 12/23/2011 10:36:21 AM PST by indianrightwinger
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To: Steelfish

The stupidity of elites at the WaPo never ceases to amaze me. I grew up attending a Methodist church with classes also at a Lutheran church. After marriage went to a Baptist church, Assembles of God and Presbyterian. So what?


4 posted on 12/23/2011 10:36:59 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are here! What will you do?)
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To: IbJensen

As long as you know that is why he joined the church, I guess God won’t mind you judging another persons heart and soul.


5 posted on 12/23/2011 10:38:15 AM PST by Toespi
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To: Steelfish
Already posted here:
What kind of Catholic is Newt Gingrich?
6 posted on 12/23/2011 10:38:26 AM PST by Alex Murphy (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2703506/posts?page=518#518)
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To: Alex Murphy; Steelfish

Except that one is on the RF. Not going there.


7 posted on 12/23/2011 10:40:30 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are here! What will you do?)
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To: Steelfish

Newtie would be more comfortable as a Mormon.....before they did away with polygamy.


8 posted on 12/23/2011 10:41:03 AM PST by Cousin It
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To: Steelfish

Yet another Leftist elitist harridan hit piece from WaPo-Obama.


9 posted on 12/23/2011 10:41:57 AM PST by Old Sarge (RIP FReeper Skyraider (1930-2011) - You Are Missed)
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To: Steelfish

I don’t get how a true Baptist can turn Catholic?


10 posted on 12/23/2011 10:42:09 AM PST by Java4Jay (The evils of government are directly proportional to the tolerance of the people.)
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To: Steelfish

How is a person “born” Lutheran?

My mother was Methodist, my father Catholic. So was I born a Metholic? Or a Cathodist?

I’m so confused.


11 posted on 12/23/2011 10:44:10 AM PST by Not A Snowbird (Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface)
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To: Jim Robinson; IbJensen; thesaleboat; Sick of Lefties; Chainmail; StrongandPround; lilyramone; ...
IbJensen wrote:
Newtie is a ‘born again’ novus ordo, phony Catholic. New members like these continue to dilute the congregations as they are truly agnostics and believe in nothing.

Newt believed that his former marriages were negated by the very fact that he became a ‘Catholic’ while the very reverse is true. Church believes that joining the church in order to negate prior marriages is a SIN!

Sorry, Newtie, no White Hut and no absolution for a serial marriager.

Look at their accomplishments. Newt allied himself with Ronald Reagan to build the Reagan Coalition, the Religious Right, and the Republican majority (together ethe Reagan Revolution) which directly led the downfall of the Soviet Union, the Contract with America, government reforms, less government, tax cuts, a balanced budget, and the great, long-standing Reagan economy.

Romney, on the other hand, vehemently denied Ronald Reagan and aligned himself with Ted Kennedy and the left. Romney accomplished installing liberal big government programs, defended and promoted Roe v Wade and legalized abortion as “settled law,” advocated and implemented RomneyCare with its liberty killing government mandates against formerly free citizens and its taxpayer funded or subsidized and mandated abortion procedures. He ran and governed to the left of Ted Kennedy on the “gay agenda” resulting in gay marriage in Massachusetts. He appointed liberal judges and liberal appointees throughout his government. Under his “leadership” conservatism and the Republican party was all but destroyed in Massachusetts.

Romney is one evil liberal progressive. No way in hell will MittBots be allowed to support this abortionist, big government, socialist scumbag on FR!

Guess my message isn’t clear enough. I have to keep repeating it and zotting would be MittBots.

79 posted on Sat Dec 03 2011 19:59:37 GMT-0800 (Pacific Standard Time) by Jim Robinson

12 posted on 12/23/2011 10:45:02 AM PST by narses
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To: SandyInSeattle

LOL!!!


13 posted on 12/23/2011 10:45:40 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are here! What will you do?)
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To: Jim Robinson; IbJensen; thesaleboat; Sick of Lefties; Chainmail; StrongandPround; lilyramone; ...
IbJensen wrote:
Newtie is a ‘born again’ novus ordo, phony Catholic. New members like these continue to dilute the congregations as they are truly agnostics and believe in nothing.

Newt believed that his former marriages were negated by the very fact that he became a ‘Catholic’ while the very reverse is true. Church believes that joining the church in order to negate prior marriages is a SIN!

Sorry, Newtie, no White Hut and no absolution for a serial marriager.

Look at their accomplishments. Newt allied himself with Ronald Reagan to build the Reagan Coalition, the Religious Right, and the Republican majority (together ethe Reagan Revolution) which directly led the downfall of the Soviet Union, the Contract with America, government reforms, less government, tax cuts, a balanced budget, and the great, long-standing Reagan economy.

Romney, on the other hand, vehemently denied Ronald Reagan and aligned himself with Ted Kennedy and the left. Romney accomplished installing liberal big government programs, defended and promoted Roe v Wade and legalized abortion as “settled law,” advocated and implemented RomneyCare with its liberty killing government mandates against formerly free citizens and its taxpayer funded or subsidized and mandated abortion procedures. He ran and governed to the left of Ted Kennedy on the “gay agenda” resulting in gay marriage in Massachusetts. He appointed liberal judges and liberal appointees throughout his government. Under his “leadership” conservatism and the Republican party was all but destroyed in Massachusetts.

Romney is one evil liberal progressive. No way in hell will MittBots be allowed to support this abortionist, big government, socialist scumbag on FR!

Guess my message isn’t clear enough. I have to keep repeating it and zotting would be MittBots.

79 posted on Sat Dec 03 2011 19:59:37 GMT-0800 (Pacific Standard Time) by Jim Robinson

14 posted on 12/23/2011 10:45:51 AM PST by narses
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To: Java4Jay

Where’s that in the Bible?


15 posted on 12/23/2011 10:47:00 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are here! What will you do?)
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To: indianrightwinger

I saw multiple comments from you on the thread where it was claimed that Newt Gingrich had told a gay voter to vote for Obama and not Gingrich. You were very hard on Gingrich for saying such an impolitic thing, but then the story turned out to be false. Do you have any regrets about using a false story to grind your axe against Gingrich?


16 posted on 12/23/2011 10:49:32 AM PST by vbmoneyspender
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To: Java4Jay

Because he found religion and joined the true Church.


17 posted on 12/23/2011 10:50:23 AM PST by starlifter (Pullum sapit)
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To: DJ MacWoW

The WP is less comfortable with NG’s ‘conversion’ I suspect because if it’s of the nature of Bork’s say, it may inform the way he acts on issues. That’s bad news for the sodomy lobby especially and the anti-christian folks in general.


18 posted on 12/23/2011 10:51:41 AM PST by MSF BU (YR'S Please Support our troops: JOIN THEM!)
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To: Steelfish

It’s very difficult to join the Catholic Church as an adult. It takes a lot of effort. You don’t just go down and sign up. It can easily take a year with lots of studying.
It has been my observation that the ones who get through the long process turn out to be very devout.

Just saying...


19 posted on 12/23/2011 10:54:41 AM PST by babygene (Figures don't lie, but liars can figure...)
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To: Steelfish

Melinda Henneberger of the Wapo isn’t a quality source for a conservative Christian to reference. Now, why was this article selected?


20 posted on 12/23/2011 10:57:18 AM PST by campaignPete R-CT (I will go back to New Hampshire to campaign.)
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