Jacob Wu ‘27
Staff Writer and Web Editor
The oldest campus organization at Holy Cross, the Benedict Fenwick Debate Society (est. 1846), held its second debate of the semester on February 17, 2025, in the Hogan Campus Center (Hogan 320) near the Hogan Ballroom. Debaters discussed topics concerning the justifiability of teaching heretical doctrines at Catholic institutions and whether presidential power in the United States has become too excessive. Judges presiding over the debate included Dr. Kate Bush, visiting assistant professor of the history department, and Professor Donald Brand of the political science department. Dr. Bush is a medievalist and expert in medieval hagiography while Prof. Brand, who is co-director of the college’s Charles Carroll Program, specializes in American politics and public administration.
The first debate prompt was titled, “Resolved: Teaching Heresy Undermines Catholic Education.” The affirmative consisted of Liam Murphy ‘25 (opening), Sebastian Kostrzewski ‘25 (interrogation/defense), and Marc Capobianco (closing) ‘25, while the negative consisted of John Zimmermann ‘26 (opening), Michael Schwerdt ‘27 (interrogation/ defense), and Daniel Capobianco ‘25 (closing). Those in the affirmative argued that to teach heresies as religious truths undermines Catholic education, distinguishing it from teaching heresies for educational purposes. “For example, we would expect our political science and history faculty to teach about fascism, but we would rightly condemn them if they taught fascism, that is, if they taught that fascism is a true and good ideology,” explained Murphy in his opening remarks. By contrast, the negative argued that heresies are an integral part of Catholicism as “thesis and antithesis.” In his opening, Zimmermann stated that, as darkness defines the shape of light, “heresy helps to define the form of Catholicism.” Although neither judge reached a defined verdict, both gave critiques of each position.
The second debate prompt was titled, “Resolved: The Scope of the President’s Power has become too great.” The affirmative was comprised of Elliott Stalls ‘28 (opening), Ian Sykes ‘28 (interrogation/defense), and Patrick Ryan ‘27 (closing), while the negative consisted of Willard Hick ‘27 (opening), Ella Murray ‘27 (interrogation/ defense), and Nora Kelly ‘27 (closing). The affirmative argued that recent executive actions, such as the use of the presidential pardon power by President Trump to commute the sentences of January 6 rioters, has led to a radical expansion of federal power and dangerous party discipline. The negative argued that although presidential authority has been exercised to varying degrees, it has ultimately been exercised within its due limits and checked appropriately by the judiciary. Neither judge sided with one position or another.
Web Edited by Zexuan Qu
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