On Monday, presidential candidate Rick Santorum did an interview with a local talk radio host where the topic of Pope Francis came up. Santorum, who is Catholic, said he was a “huge fan” of the Pope, but disagrees with his viewpoint on climate change.

“The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the scientists,” he said. “I think when we get involved with controversial political and scientific theories, then I think the church is probably not as forceful and credible. And I've said this to the bishops many times when they get involved in agriculture policy or things like that, that are really outside the scope of what the church's main message is.”

The thing that Santorum does not mention is that Pope Francis actually is a scientist. He has a degree in Chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires. When Pope Francis campaigns against climate change as a “sin,” he is doing so not just with the moral authority of the Vatican but with some scientific knowledge as well.

Many believe that when he gives his speech to Congress in September, he will call on it to act on climate change, which it has so far refused to do.