Vatican Diplomacy: Nuclear Disarmament
This curricular module explores the evolving Vatican position on nuclear disarmament, highlighting how the Catholic Church plays a unique role in international relations. Rev. Drew Christiansen, S.J., considers the future of Catholic action on nuclear disarmament in a 2019 article on “Time for the Abolition of Nuclear Arms” [PDF]. Christansen organized a daylong workshop on “The Pope and the Bomb: Beyond Deterrence” [videos] in 2020, which examined the moral and pastoral implications of the Church position on nuclear disarmament, as well as other timely themes in nuclear geopolitics.
Below, you can explore more resources on Vatican diplomacy and nuclear disarmament, including an expanded module guide, with additional materials on Pope Francis and the call for nuclear disarmament.
These materials are designed to engage students with the following issues:
- the Church’s teaching on nuclear disarmament and its pastoral and moral implications [2019 Christiansen article, PDF; 2018 Christiansen article, PDF]
- Pope Francis’ rejection of nuclear deterrence and moral and policy approaches to disarmament [“Pope Francis’ Vision of Peace,” video; “The Pope and the Bomb: Beyond Deterrence,” videos]
Instructors are encouraged to look through topics below [videos/PDFs/articles] and adapt these questions to their needs.
