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James Likoudis | |
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| Born | (1928-12-11)11 December 1928 |
| Died | 3 September 2024(2024-09-03) (aged 95) Detroit, Michigan, US |
| Occupation | Catholic theologian, author, journalist, andseminary professor |
| Alma mater | Elmira College (M.S.) University of Buffalo (B.A.) |
| Subject | Catholicism,Eastern Orthodoxy,traditionalism,liturgy,doctrine,papacy,sex education,catechetics,pro-life,American politics, conservatism, liberalism, history,church history,Vatican II |
James Likoudis (December 11, 1928 – September 3, 2024) was an AmericanCatholic theologian, author and former lecturer in religious studies.[2]
A convert to theCatholic Church in 1952 from theGreek Orthodox Church,[3] the Christian faith into which he was baptized,[4] Likoudis later devoted a great deal of hisapologetical andpolemical efforts to foster reunion and submission of theEastern Orthodox Churches to theSee of Rome and thePapacy. In his essay,To be Truly Orthodox is to be in Communion with Peter's See (1988), Likoudis gives an account of his personal journey from to the Greek Orthodox Church to theGreek Byzantine Catholic Church.
In 1977 Likoudis's translation ofRenée Casin'sSt. Thomas Aquinas: Orthodoxy, and Neo-Modernism in the Church from French to English was published.[5] He also authored several books dealing withsex education, the Eastern Orthodox Church andits teachings,liturgical issues and controversies following theSecond Vatican Council, and articles and commentary about prominent Catholics. He was the president emeritus of the Catholic lay organization Catholics United for the Faith (CUF) and the founder of Credo of Buffalo.
While working with CUF, Likoudis led the charge to remove ecclesiastical approval from the theologically problematic "Christ Among Us" Catechism, a campaign that was eventually heard by the Vatican's CDF head, Cardinal Ratzinger (laterPope Benedict XVI), which took action to remove theImprimatur andNihil Obstat before eventually requesting thatPaulist Press cease further production and sales of the book. Similarly, Likoudis played a prominent role in bringing to the Vatican's awareness the theologicalModernism being taught atCatholic University of America byCharles Curran. After many years and many more reports, Curran was removed from his teaching position by the Church hierarchy.
Likoudis was a president ofMorality in Media, an organization now known as TheNational Center on Sexual Exploitation – an organization that campaigns against pornography, sex education and sex trafficking. The organization describes its goal as "exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation". In its beginnings, the organization was primarily Catholic. He was also the former moderator of the New York TV seriesSex and Morality.
Another significant contribution of Likoudis is his work with the lateDietrich von Hildebrand and his wifeAlice von Hildebrand in their work on sex education, through the organization Veil of Innocence. In addition to being involved with “Veil” through writing and lecturing, Likoudis additionally served the organization as one of its board members. One of his accomplishments during this time was his contribution of an essay to the published work of Dietrich's:Sex Education: The Basic Issues and Related Essays which contains a personally penned letter of recommendation inside the front pages, fromMother Teresa.
Likoudis also helped to found theJohn Hardon S.J.'s organization, Eternal Life, as well as contributing to some of Hardon's books, most notably, penning the foreword to the Hardon's published dissertation which he completed at the Gregorian in Rome on the topic of "Bellarmine's Doctrine of the Relation of Sincere Non-Catholics to the Catholic Church".
Likoudis' bookEnding the Byzantine Greek Schism aims to answer historical criticisms as well astheological objections raised by apologists for Orthodox Christianity.
In Likoudis'The Divine Primacy of the Bishop of Rome and Modern Eastern Orthodoxy: Letters to a Greek Orthodox on the Unity of the Church, he refutes the objections of Orthodox andProtestant critics to modern Roman Papal claims. An earlier edition of this book –The Divine Primacy of the Bishop of Rome, Reply to a Former Catholic – was written particularly to refute Eastern Orthodox writer,Michael Whelton's arguments, put forth in his book,Two Paths.
His last book in this trilogy isEastern Orthodoxy and the See of Peter in which he outlines some current controversies, as well as identifies pathways forward for reconciliation of both sides and shows a portrait of a saint who devoted his life to this ecumenical endeavor and modeled it in his personal life.
His later book isHeralds of a Catholic Russia – Twelve Spiritual Pilgrims, from Byzantium to Rome. This book contains portraits of saints, philosophers, and royalty, who all found their way from Orthodoxy to Catholicism through intellectual engagement with the arguments for and against Catholicism. The book ends with a pertinent section onOur Lady of Fátima's apparitions and messages and their relevance to the future for theCatholic Church in Russia.
Likoudis co-authoredThe Pope, the Council and the Mass (Christopher Publishing House, 1981 and 1982; Rev. Ed. Emmaus Road Publishing, 2006), a defense ofPope Paul VI'sOrdo Missae and the liturgical reforms envisaged by Vatican II.L'Osservatore Romano noted in 1981, "This book has been sorely needed for well over a decade."
Likoudis lectured extensively on issues affecting education, family life, and the role of thelaity in the Catholic Church. He has also written forThe Wanderer (see below). Additionally, he was a contributing author to theEncyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought, Social Science and Social Policy as well as the widely acclaimedFaith and Life children's catechetical series published byCatholics United for the Faith which is used as a primary resource in manyCatholic schools.
He appeared on numerous shows includingEWTN's Journey Home network, theMother Angelica show,Geraldo,The Phil Donahue Show, and most recently, the Reason and Theology show.He was a part of conferences hosted by and with theFranciscan University of Steubenville, Dr. Robert Fastiggi, andMother Angelica, among others.
In 2020, Likoudis received an honorary doctorate from Detroit'sSacred Heart Major Seminary for his work in Catholic apologetics, catechetics, ecumenism, and Catholic – Eastern Orthodox relations. He was a member ofAleteia's Board of Experts, a former member of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars and theSociety of Catholic Social Scientists, and has worked as a consultant forCatholic Answers’ apologetics website.
In 1957 Likoudis received a Summer Scholarship in Middle East Studies from the University of Rochester.
He is the 1968 Harvest Yearbook Dedication Recipient for his philosophy of life, and inspirational approach to critical thinking.
In 1973 he received the Morality in Media award.
He is listed in the American Catholic Who's Who: Bicentennial edition.
In 2002, he received the Blessed Frederick Ozanam Award for Catholic Social Action, which was presented at the October 18, 2002, annual meeting of theSociety for Catholic Social Scientists.
In December 2020, Likoudis received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Sacred Heart Major Seminary.
Likoudis married Ruth (née Hickleton), with whom he had six children. After Ruth's death, Likoudis resided in Ann Arbor, Michigan, until he died on September 3, 2024.[6]
Likoudis authored over 300 additional essays and books.
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