Heretic-Hunting In Context

I agree with this letter, whose lead signer is the dean of American Catholic historians. Heresy is a grave charge. pic.twitter.com/5pjEkaSRMh

— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) October 27, 2015

But on the back cover of the 2012 hardback edition of Ross Douthat’s book Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics:

Hmmm. Talking about heresy and heretics is good, unless the spotlight turns on one’s own favored parties, in which case it is a grave matter requiring remonstration with the formerly approved heretic-discusser’s employer. Why was Ross Douthat considered by Fr. Martin qualified (“thoughtful, articulate … with an impressive command of both history and contemporary social trends”) to write about heresy in 2012, but not in 2015. What changed?