Pursuing peace

EDITORIAL

Non-confrontational till now, the pope is speaking out against the war

Beyond the headlines, sometimes news gets played out in less noticeable and not-so-dramatic ways. Just after Easter, attention went to the Pope’s comment on Donald Trump’s approaches and actions.

Leo XIV, the Chicago-born pontiff—quietly, firmly and without drama—has been taking some strong stands by speaking out
against his fellow American, President Trump. Not surprisingly, given that the latter’s action threatens the world continuing as we have
long known it.

Almost unexpectedly, Leo XIV has emerged as a forceful Trump critic amidst the sharply escalating Iran war. As a widely read British newspaper put it, for 10 months he stayed mostly silent on US affairs. But that era of restraint is now over. Others have noted that the Pope is pushing back on the ‘divine justification’ for the US-Israeli-initiated war. In his year in office, Leo XIV has not been known as a confrontational pope. Yet, he is now seen as eloquently speaking out over the biggest challenge to the planet. He did so even as Pete Hegseth, the US secretary of defence (sometimes styled as the ‘Secretary of war’), attempted to frame the war as divinely supported, even using scriptural justification. As ‘The Washington Post’ noted, the Chicago-born Pope said God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war”.

Every action, every word, and every stand taken can be interpreted as a direct reflection on the war from not just a prominent religious leader but also from a fellow countryman of Trump.  Words from the Pope and his aides—speaking both publicly and without being named—are being closely watched back in the US.  Leo XIV, yet to complete a year in office, is seen by some as feeling compelled to counter the US administration’s depiction of a warlike God. On Palm Sunday, a little more than a week ago, he quoted the Bible to say: “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen—your hands are full of blood.”

At the same time, the support given by other leaders to President Trump in the US has also not gone unnoticed. For as long as human memories go, wars have been fought, claiming divine support, with even the Nazi era having its ‘Gott Mit Uns’ (God with us) belief. Some in the past have justified or sanctioned war with a ‘Just War Theory’.  Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas set moral conditions under which war might be considered legitimate. Others have taken strong pacifist stances, like Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr, with a stress on nonviolence and moral resistance. Men of religion have also acted as mediators or peace advocates, like Desmond Tutu. Brokering ceasefires or reducing suffering have also been attempted.

Given Trump’s approach, even sharp criticism is unlikely to deter him from doing exactly what he wants to. Unfortunately for him, the European countries have not got involved in the war. Some experts say Europe has become a strategic spectator in the war.Trump’s anger is rising against European countries as he had  hoped that they would back his plan.

Religious leaders today play a role that can be seen and followed by the public. Senior clergy in the UK have framed the conflict in terms of peace, justice and humanitarian concerns. But this did not stop talk in apocalyptic terms from coming up. In Iran, religious authorities are directly embedded in the state. At times like these, there is a desperate need for waging battles for peaceful solutions, rather than risking destroying the only planet humanity has access to.