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Catholic Church and the World

Aerial View of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican

The Catholic Church has developed teachings on justice and peace that address global challenges of economic and social development, democracy and human rights, conflict resolution, and interreligious dialogue. These resources examine the Church’s engagement in world affairs, particularly in the areas of nuclear disarmament, environmental stewardship, and diplomacy.

Our Experts

José Casanova headshot

José Casanova

Senior Fellow
Professor Emeritus

David Hollenbach headshot

David Hollenbach

Senior Fellow
Walsh School of Foreign Service and Department of Theology and Religious Studies

Gerard J. McGlone headshot

Gerard J. McGlone

Senior Research Fellow

Project Spotlight

Silent Peace Vigil with Sign for the Anniversary of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Atomic Bombs

The Church and Nuclear Issues

From the very beginning, nuclear weapons have been controversial. In response to this grave global threat the Berkley Center is exploring the policy, ethical, and moral challenges involved in moving toward a world without nuclear weapons.

Current and Past Projects

Indian Children at School with Girl Writing

Education and Social Justice Project

The Education and Social Justice (ESJ) Fellowship provides students with the opportunity to conduct in-depth examinations of innovative educational initiatives, with a focus on the work of Jesuit secondary and post-secondary institutions.
Antique Globe on Stand

The Jesuits and Globalization

Over three years the Berkley Center’s Tom Banchoff and Jose Casanova led an interdisciplinary project on the Jesuits and globalization. The project convened an international group of scholars to explore the historical contributions of the Jesuits to…

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Videos

March 6, 2024

Catholic Sisters Working To Eradicate Human Trafficking (Video)

Duration: 1 hours 5 minutes

October 18, 2023

9th Annual Costan Lecture in Early Christianity by Luke Timothy Johnson (Video)

Duration: 1 hours 9 minutes

May 23, 2023

Seeking Refuge in Kenya (Video)

Duration: 1 hours 29 minutes

Publications

Article January 23, 2024

Jesuit Contributions to Global Connectivity and Global Consciousness in the Early Modern Era

This book chapter by José Casanova examines the external and internal opportunity structures which made it possible for members of a Catholic missionary order such as the Society of Jesus to play the role of cartographers, global ethnographers, natural scientists, translators, general educators, and prominent cultural brokers between East and West and North and South in the first globalization.

Blog Posts

Interviews

Discover the firsthand experiences of faith leaders, activists, and peacebuilding practitioners working on issues ranging from development and education to conflict resolution and foreign policy.

For over a decade, Berkley Center scholars and students have been conducting interviews with individuals working at the intersection of religion and world affairs. These discussions offer unique insights into the inner workings of a wide spectrum of professions touched by religion with interviewees ranging from the highest levels of leadership of international organizations to on-the-ground practitioners. Explore individual interviews here or follow links to our interview collections below:

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