I’m a Protestant and I’ve been reading Father Jonathan for years (back when he a regular column) and whenever he comes on Fox News, I always stop and listen because he is so ecumenical in what he says. He usually stays away from RCC doctrine and just sticks to what Jesus would say.
I don’t think that he needs to be balanced with a panel. Where would it stop? If they added an Eastern Orthodox priest, then you’d need a Protestant. If you add a Protestant, what kind? Baptist? Episcopal/Methodist? One Calvinist and one Arminian? Non-denom? Then, do you add a Mormon? A Jew?
An Eastern Orthodox individual could be just as ecumenical.
And the panel thing is a red herring...
There are far more Protestants in the U.S. than RC’s, so why have Father Morris?
If it is about ratings, then an Eastern Orthodox person would be ideal.
And, Fox News could have the Protestant figure on sometimes, sometimes Father Morris, and so on - then there would be a plethora of ecumenical thought...
What you say may be true that Father Morris sounds so ecumenical and he usually stays away from RC doctrine.
It may be that Father Morris doesn’t know all that much of RC doctrine, that is, if he should be of the modernist persuasion that rather ran amuck after Vatican II, here in the West. The Eastern Orthodox are more immovable, so you might not care for that kind of intransigence of faith and ancient practice.
Just saying.
The two largest denominations in America are Catholic, and Southern Baptist. Catholics vote democrat, Southern Baptists vote GOP by about 80%.
It would be nice for the conservative voting Evangelicals to have a voice somewhere.