Jim Wallis Defends 'Liberal' Nuns Against Catholic Church: 'From a Biblical Point of View' the Vatican May Be Wrong

On the surface, an unlikely figure is coming to the defense of American nuns who are under fire from the Vatican for supposed liberalism and anti-Church doctrine -- leftist evangelical preacher Jim Wallis. Considering the alleged leftist tilt many of the sisters have embraced, it becomes a bit clearer why Wallis has a vested interest in ensuring that the nuns continue their work, uninterrupted.

Last week, The Blaze told you about the full-scale overhaul that the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), the largest group representing the majority of U.S. nuns, would be undergoing. The announcement that interventions would be sought by the Vatican and Catholic Bishops was made following allegations that the group has embraced sentiments that contradict church teaching -- specifically when it comes to abortion, homosexuality and other related issues.

(Related: Vatican Orders Overhaul of U.S. Nun Group Over Liberal Stances on Sexuality & Abortion)

Now, the ultra-progressive Wallis, a fan of the Occupy movement and an individual who believes wholeheartedly in the redistribution of wealth, is coming to the nuns' defense. In an article for the Huffington Post, he outlines the reasons he's defends the LWWR and condemns the Vatican's approach to dealing with the alleged liberal streak among the female faith leaders:

The Vatican's approach to its concerns, to say the least, is quite regrettable. Condemnation and control were chosen over conversation and dialogue. Quite honestly, do most of us believe, or even most Catholics believe, that the bishops are the only "authentic teachers of faith and morals?"

The sisters may be the most positive face of the Catholic Church today, and they are keeping people in the Church who would have given up on the all-male hierarchy long ago. These women are often the ones at the core of Jesus' ministry, building relationships with the poor and vulnerable and most concretely offering the love of God. If you had a referendum on whom the best faith and moral teachers are in many local communities and parishes around the country, it would likely be the women who are now under attack. That is the sad situation here and the serious mistake being made by the Vatican.

Aside from the bizarre notion that a leftist, non-Catholic preacher would be providing guidance for how the Vatican should be handling its own teachings, Wallis' commentary provides a lens into his political attachment to the women. He goes on to call them "among the most faithful in peace marches and non-violent protest of our nation's endless wars."

Wallis also notes that the nuns have been at the core of the Sojourners' social justice supporters and subscribers (Sojourners is Wallis' liberal Christian group and media outlet). Here's more from his comments on the matter:

The Church is very concerned about these sisters losing focus on abortion. But, most I know still feel abortion is a terrible moral tragedy and do whatever they can to reduce them. Their approach, however, is to support low-income women, which actually reduces abortion, instead of mostly legislative strategies that could just push abortions into back alleys. And perhaps the sisters would also rather minister to gay and lesbian people with the love of Christ instead of just telling them they are wrong and unacceptable.

When the Vatican said that issues like poverty are more important to the sisters than issues like sexuality, they are probably right. But from a biblical point of view, the sisters may be right and the Vatican wrong. The Bible is much clearer on the Christian imperative to serve the poor and stand for justice than it is on same-sex marriage or exactly when full human life begins. I, for one, miss the leadership of Catholic bishops like the late Joseph Cardinal Bernardin who taught a "consistent ethic of life" and a "seamless garment" that defends life and dignity wherever it is threatened, from abortion on demand to poverty, the death penalty, and nuclear weapons.

Wallis concluded the piece by saying that he's "got their back now" and that he, among others, will support the sisters through the Vatican's continued assessment of their work. You can read Wallis' full commentary here.