Sigh. Hugh Hewitt

Hugh Hewitt wants evangelicals to trust him and buy his books telling them how to think, as evangelicals. He makes a lot about being an evangelical. When it suits him.

So he has atheist loudmouth Christopher Hitchens on for hours "on the subjects of civilization's debt to Christianity and whether science undermines faith or the gaps in science undergird belief." And whom does "Evangelical Roman Catholic Presbyterian" Hugh Hewitt have on to give the other side?

A Roman Catholic professor, David Allen White.

The portion I heard brought up the subject of Hell, and Hitchens did his usual salvo. How did White respond?

Exactly as anyone could have predicted.

Basically he said, "Oh well, I'm Roman Catholic, so I look to my authorities" — and then he went on, and on, and on, about -- what? Matthew 25? Revelation 19-22? Romans 1-3?

Yes, I know. I'm "a very funny man."

Of course he didn't. He went on and on and on about Dante's Inferno. And on and on. In a tone appropriate to a delightful little chat over tea in the faculty room — rather than a battle with Satan's lies, for the souls of Hitchens and the many thousands of lost folks listening in.

Yeah. Way to give an answer to every man, and hold up the glories of Christ and His Gospel. And I'm sure that after his witty and scholarly excursus on Dante, Hitchens (now left without excuse) cried out, "Dante said that? Oh, my! What must I do to be saved?"

Of course, Hewitt had every reason to know White wouldn't be there to proclaim the truth and glories of Christ and His gospel — unless, of course (and I have to grant this) Hewitt knows something about White that hasn't shown up in the many times I've heard him on his show, or unless White (or Hewitt) launched into something Gospelish as soon as I clicked off in disgust.

Hewitt's Roman Catholic evangelicalism keeps seeming to have a lot of Rome, and not much of the evangel.

Now, Douglas Wilson has some really bad ideas, but he demolished Hitchens most thoroughly in their CT debate. Wish Hewitt had had him on.