A scan on the radio dial at just about any time of the day will surface a handful of radio talk shows with hosts clamoring to be the voice of reason and to have the answers to solving problems of all types.
One host, however, is very confident that he truly does have something to offer as he unabashedly gives his Catholic take on today’s headline issues. His name is Allen Hunt, and his show, the Allen Hunt Show can be heard each weeknight on 150 stations across the nation.
His viewpoint wasn’t always Catholic, however. He recently sat down to talk about his conversion to the Catholic faith and how it has shaped his radio platform.
Tell me about your journey from Methodist pastor for 20 years to entering the Catholic Church.
I grew up in a culture of Methodist pastors. My uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather were all Methodist pastors. I didn’t know much about the Catholic Church when I was growing up. After I finished seminary at Emory University in Atlanta, I went on to do some graduate-level work at Yale University on early Christian history and the New Testament.
My first exposure to the Catholic Church came while I was there in New England. Much of it came from my friendship with a Dominican friar who was also in the graduate program. That was in the 1990s, and many seeds were planted then. In the next decade or so, God used a number of experiences to bring me home to the Church. I became Catholic on Jan. 6, 2008, on the feast of the Epiphany.
What finally brought you home?
There were three big things that led to me entering the Church. First was a growing sense of Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist. Secondly is what I call doctrine by democracy. In general, in the Protestant church, everything is up to a vote every few years. For instance, in the Methodist church, every four years we would get together to vote whether or not homosexual behavior is acceptable or not and whether it was time to ordain openly gay pastors.
The third area of reflection was Jesus’ prayer in John 17. There, Jesus pleads for unity in the body of Christ. The Protestant church has split into 33,000 different strands. What message does that fractioning send to the world? As well, how much this division must grieve God’s heart.
I am only one person, but am trying to repair some of that damage by coming home to the mother Church.
At the time of your decision to pursue the Catholic Church you were leading a megachurch in Atlanta. How did your congregation react to your decision?
I had stepped down from my role as senior pastor July 1, 2007, to go into full-time radio ministry. Once I had left the role of pastor, it gave me the freedom to explore and discover the faith.
By and large, most people were supportive of my decision. As is typical of many megachurches, a lot of the members are ex-Catholics. I got a lot of e-mails and phone calls from people who were asking, “What do you see that I don’t see?” There were only a handful of people who were hostile towards me. But after years of being a pastor, I was used to people being hostile towards me.
Tell me about the Allen Hunt Show.
We started the show in 2006 with just a few hours on Sunday afternoon. We didn’t plan on being on Christian or Catholic radio. The show began as a way to engage the mainstream on all the issues of life through the lens of faith.
We want to come at things with a moral compass and engage people of all walks of life. I am unapologetic and non-defensive on who I am, what I stand for and where I’m coming from. It is mainstream radio done for you by a very Catholic guy.
Is there an evangelization element to your program?
I share my Catholic faith, but I don’t promote it — and I think that is at the heart of the show. I am who I am, and I am comfortable with who I am. I want to engage people who agree or disagree with me in a grace-filled way, as opposed to bomb throwing, which seems to be the standard these days.
I think a lot of people find it very heartening that there is someone like them on mainstream radio. Then there is another group of people who find this fact strange to them. And then there is a small, vocal group who can’t stand my faith, but they keep listening. As long as they are listening, I’m content with that. Let’s talk and have a civil conversation.
What’s the future for you and the program?
We need to continue to do what God wants us to do. I think what that means is to continue to engage the culture with a reasonable voice of faith. Our long-term goal is to be on over 300 stations each week, Monday through Friday.
What is your take on the debate on whether or not conservative talk radio was to blame for the Tuscon shooting, the assassination attempt on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords?
Neither talk radio nor inflamed political rhetoric caused a mentally deranged young man to indiscriminately shoot people in Tucson any more than they caused the Virginia Tech massacre or even the silly Dunkin Donuts drive-through tirade last month regarding the lack of sprinkled donuts.
As you talk to America, day in and day out, what are two or three issues or themes that come up again and again? What is the temperament or the mood of the nation, so to speak?
In general, there is a self-confidence crisis in America. We have forgotten who we are. People are concerned and feel like we have lost something, even though they cannot always pinpoint what that is. Part of this is a natural response to a very long recession that has drained a lot of people’s passion and optimism. They worry we may never emerge from it. Part of this is a response to the lack of moral compass that we now routinely experience in our public life together, in our entertainment and even in our public schools.
Register correspondent Eddie O’Neill writes from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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I loved this article about Allen Hunt. As a Protestant trying hard to learn about the Catholic faith (and struggling with a few beliefs), I am really hurt by degrading or sarcastic comments about Protestants on the Catholic station to which I listen regularly. These comments alienate; they never attract. In fact, I stopped listening to one of my favorite programs because one priest constantly did this. I believe that Allen Hunt is setting a good example. Tell us the truth, in its fullness, about the Catholic faith and pray that we see it as WE pray that we will understand it and, perhaps, come to accept it in our lives. No one does this better than Fr. Corapi with his “in your face” messages, and he does it without putting Protestants down.
@BA: have you contacted the radio station about the offensive comments? I think it likely the person making them does not realize that they are offensive. Who knows, I may have heard the comments, and being a cradle Catholic, may not have understood their offensive nature. If the person does fully realize the offensive nature, then they really need to be corrected, in a respectful manner of course.
Just for my education, could you share an example of an offensive comment, so that I can be sure to *not* partake in such behavior?
The Catholic Church is quite lax in instructing its members to be charitable in how they talk about others. And the church certainly should make it a matter of discipline for those who have an official voice in speaking for Catholicism.
The Mormon Church, aggressive in its conversion activities, never allows any official Mormon voice to speak badly of other religions, not even of gay people, although they adamantly oppose gay marriage.
I know of many people who have grown so disgusted with sarcasm and arrogance from priests about gay people and members of other religions that they have ceased to be Catholic. It is one thing to teach what the church believes, another thing to use beliefs as attacks on the dignity of other human beings. When priests fail to practice Christian charity it throws into question the legitimacy of the entire Church.
In addition, too often Catholic remarks about other religions reveal an appalling ignorance about those religions and what they teach. I personally am very tired of ignorant comments about Calvinism. I will say that the clergy who taught me at Catholic schools were always well and charitably informed about other religions and sometimes expressed a certain longing that some of their virtues and views would become part of catholic culture.
“quod Deus avertat’ that any Catholic should ‘put down’ a non-Catholic for his/her beiefs and practices.The teaching of the Church is quite clear that God is worshipped and gives grace to those who are not yet in full communion but who practice and pray their faith.
Any priest or Catholic who denegrates another’s faith is not being truthful nor helpful to Christ’s own words that ‘all MAY be one…’
Well said BA.
“alienate; they never attract.” Perfect.
I’ve often felt that the most attractive (and loving and apostolic) thing we can do is live our faith generously, sincerely, with ever greater humility in our daily lives, wherever we go. Doing so will over time invite a more natural and friendly conversation about substantial matters…vs….confrontative, prideful, heated debate.
I admire Alan Hunt for his honesty and his Catholic witness. I’m proud to share my faith with him. My grandfather was a Methodist minister so I grew up respecting both Catholic and Protestant traditions. With his background he understands non-Catholics and more importantly he provides insight to what it means for all of us to have a moral compass guiding our personal lives and well as our national and international lives. And, thank God, to be non-confrontational about it!!
I will try to find the Allen Hunt Show on the Internet and listen to it. I, too, am a convert who does not proselytize. I, too, have a message for the world:
http://www.lulu.com/
There you can find twelve books I have written which discuss many subjects, but mainly our Mother, the Church. I hope that at least one you might enjoy. I feel that I love the Church more than most because it was a gift to me from God, and not something spoonfed to me by my family. But both ways are excellent.
BA: Can I give a perspective from the other side of your coin? My favorite priest on Catholic radio is one who (finally) is teaching the truths and correcting all of the protestant errors and historical problems. Everyone hears truth in a different manner. This priests style may be offensive to you, but how many other people are finally getting the truth because he is brave enough to speak it?!?!
I have 8 brothers and sisters who were led away from the Catholic faith by protestants who base their faith on “protesting” what the Catholic church teaches. If they were to actually put their efforts into learning truth, they would indeed find the Catholic Church is what Jesus established. Protestant defamation of Catholics, ridicule, saying we are not real Christians, members of the"!@#$% of Babylon” and calling the pope the anti-Christ is so egregiously wrong, stupid, insulting, and LEADING PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE CHURCH JESUS ESTABLISHED, that it needs to be addressed.
I thank God for the priests on Catholic radio who are finally getting the truth out. They are absolutely NOT being uncharitable or defaming protestants in any way. They are telling the truth.
I find protestant evangelizers insulting and erroneous. They need to be told the truth.
Can I give a perspective from the other side of your coin? My favorite priest on Catholic radio is one who (finally) is teaching the truths and correcting all of the protestant errors and historical problems. Everyone hears truth in a different manner. This priests style may be offensive to you, but how many other people are finally getting the truth because he is brave enough to speak it?!?!
I have 8 brothers and sisters who were led away from the Catholic faith by protestants who base their faith on “protesting” what the Catholic church teaches. If they were to actually put their efforts into learning truth, they would indeed find the Catholic Church is what Jesus established. Protestant defamation of Catholics, ridicule, saying we are not real Christians, members of the"!@#$% of Babylon” and calling the pope the anti-Christ is so egregiously wrong, stupid, insulting, and LEADING PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE CHURCH JESUS ESTABLISHED, that it needs to be addressed.
I thank God for the priests on Catholic radio who are finally getting the truth out. They are absolutely NOT being uncharitable or defaming protestants in any way. They are telling the truth.
I find protestant evangelizers insulting and erroneous. They need to be told the truth.
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