Vance’s remarks generated a great deal of discussion online regarding whether the vice president’s perspective was indeed a Christian one. Former Member of Parliament Rory Stewart, a British broadcaster, academic and author, called Vance’s view “a bizarre take on John 15:12-13 – less Christian and more pagan tribal.”
Vance replied to Stewart’s post by saying, “Just google ‘ordo amoris.’”
“Aside from that, the idea that there isn’t a hierarchy of obligations violates basic common sense,” Vance added. “Does Rory really think his moral duties to his own children are the same as his duties to a stranger who lives thousands of miles away? Does anyone?”
“Ordo amoris” is a Latin expression attributed to St. Augustine that refers to the proper ordering of loves. Augustine was the bishop of Hippo in North Africa in the late fourth century. He is a church father whose works, such as “City of God” and “Confessions,” have been extremely influential on both Catholic and Protestant Christians.
In the immediate aftermath of Vance’s remarks, Christians debated the meaning of “ordo amoris.” Now, the pope himself has weighed in.
After stating that “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests,” Francis said, “The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’ (cf.Lk10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.”
“But worrying about personal, community or national identity, apart from these considerations, easily introduces an ideological criterion that distorts social life and imposes the will of the strongest as the criterion of truth,” said Francis.
Pope Francis is known for his focus on caring for migrants, and in his letter to U.S. bishops, he said, “The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality.”
“At the same time,” said the pope, “one must recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent or serious crimes while in the country or prior to arrival.”
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