Catholic apologist Joe Heschmeyer will debate Douglas Wilson, senior pastor of Christ Church, at the Vandal Catholic Club’s “Great Debate” on March 26 at 7 p.m., in the ICCU Arena. This is the sixth year this annual event is being held, with tickets costing $8 and available for purchase though the Vandal Catholic website.
The doors will open at 4 p.m. with Mass beginning at 4:30. Concessions will open for dinner at 5 p.m. At 6 p.m. Currie Meyers, a retired sheriff of Johnson County, Kansas, and faculty in the criminology department at Benedictine College in Kansas, will discuss “GOD in the DARK.” The debate will begin at 7 p.m.
The theme of this year’s debate is “Sola Scriptura,” asking questions regarding the authority of the scripture, and how it should shape daily life. Sola Scriptura is a Christian theological doctrine that states the Bible is the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice and is held by most Protestant Christian denominations.
Wilson is the founder of Christ Church, a local evangelical church which, according to their website, has the mission of turning Moscow into a Christian town. Wilson, a self-proclaimed Christian Nationalist, wants to use Moscow as the example of what a Christian Nationalist culture could look like to the larger American population.
Along with Christ Church, Wilson is also a founding board member of New Saint Andrews College, a Christian liberal arts school that emphasizes Christian faith through all forms of expression, including music and art.
Wilson has also been given a more national spotlight, with a recent visit to the Pentagon, as well as U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reposting interviews of Wilson on social media. Recently, Christ Church has opened a new parish in Washington, D.C.
Heschmeyer is a Catholic apologist who works for Catholic Answers, a media ministry which, according to their website, focuses on creating a safe environment for people to learn and speak of Catholic faith. They emphasize fundamentals and how to fight against misinformation regarding Christianity and the Catholic church.
Heschmeyer is a public speaker and author of the blog Shameless Popery. He has attended numerous religious events as an ambassador of Catholic Answers and is a prolific writer, with his works featured in various books and magazines on topics of Catholicism and Christianity.
Heschmeyer has since turned Shameless Popery into a podcast and YouTube channel, emphasizing addressing misconceptions of Catholicism as well as various overall objections.
Austin Kieckhefer can be reached at [email protected].