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Catholic Church and the World

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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

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José Casanova

Senior Fellow
Professor Emeritus

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Drew Christiansen

Senior Fellow
Walsh School of Foreign Service

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David Hollenbach

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

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Gerard J. McGlone

Senior Research Fellow

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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.

Blog Posts

Looking up at tree canopy in a forest

November 4, 2020

Religion and Integral Ecology: Five Years of Laudato Si

How do different religious traditions understand the intersection of ecology and forms of (in)justice? What do various religious traditions envision as our moral obligations to the environment? What are some of the challenges and possibilities of faith engagement on climate change?
U.S. flag flies in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City

October 22, 2020

Catholic Faith in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election

What role has Catholic faith played in the Democratic and Republican strategies during the 2020 presidential election? Are the candidates taking new approaches to Catholic outreach? If so, how? What is the significance of nominating Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court?
Pope Francis greets a crowd of people outside the Vatican

October 14, 2020

Fratelli Tutti and the Future of the Catholic Church

What are some of the key takeaways from Fratelli Tutti? How does the new encyclical relate to well-established themes in the pontificate of Pope Francis? What concrete steps are needed to apply the vision of Fratelli Tutti to social ills in the United States and abroad?

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Events

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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:

Recent Interviews

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Current and Past Projects

Indian Children at School with Girl Writing

Education and Social Justice Project

A collaboration with the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service, the Education and Social Justice Project provides summer research fellowships to travel abroad for in-depth examinations of innovative initiatives, particularly within Jesuit secondary and post-secondary institutions.
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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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Publications

Article December 3, 2020

Challenges to Religious Freedom in the USA: Some Lessons from Global Crises

Rev. David Hollenbach, S.J., considers international challenges to religious freedom to show that religious freedom controversies in the United States call both religious communities and those with secular worldviews to recognize that social unity and respect for freedom should go together.

Other Publications

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Videos

December 16, 2020

A World Free from Nuclear Weapons (Video)

Duration: 1 hours 50 minutes

December 4, 2020

Rethinking United States and Vatican Diplomacy (Video)

Duration: 59 minutes

November 29, 2020

TEDxGeorgetown 2020 Ripples - It Starts with a Drop (Video)

Duration: 2 hours 50 minutes

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