Pope Leo XIV’s criticism of the Iran war has sparked verbal attacks by President Donald Trump, but local theology professors say that popes addressing world issues is nothing new.
James Keenan, a professor of theology at Boston College, said the recent comment follow a long tradition of popes who have spoken out on global issues.
“Pope Paul VI spoke at the United Nations and had the famous remark, ‘Never again war,’” he said. “We saw in the papacy of Pope Francis enormous outreach about migrants and refugees.”
Keenan said traditionally, popes promote the recognition of people who have not been adequately recognized.
“I think that Pope Leo is really telling us that we have to recognize the impact of policies on people whose voices are not being heard,” he said.
On Sunday night, Trump said he didn’t think the first U.S.-born pope is “doing a very good job” and suggested that he should “stop catering to the Radical Left.”
Trump’s comments came after the pope denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” that he said is fueling war in Iran and demanded political leaders to negotiate peace.
Pope Leo responded to Trump’s comments Monday, saying he has “no fear of the administration” and that the Vatican’s appeals for peace are rooted in the Gospel.
“On one side, Pope Leo is becoming more assertive in the sense that he understands the United States’ central role in disrupting the world order, particularly a rules-based order in which warfare is the last resort,” said Mathew Schmalz, professor of religious studies at College of the Holy Cross. “From President Trump’s side, obviously, he sees Pope Leo as a threat.”
But Schmalz said Trump is misunderstanding what Pope Leo is trying to say.
“[Trump is] simply seeing Pope Leo’s comments through a Western lens, not through an international lens, nor the lens of the Catholic Church, which is very much focused on global Catholic issues and issues from the global South.”
Thomas Groome, a professor of theology at Boston College, said Pope Leo has consistently been speaking out against the war, but this time, it’s more explicit.
“He’s making his point that this war has to stop and all this talking about wiping out cultures and civilizations is abhorrent, illegal in the realm of jurisprudence and public law,” Groome said. “But is also totally contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Keenan said he thinks it’s important for Catholics to have someone representing Pope Leo’s perspective.
“For those of us who are Catholics, I think we especially appreciate his directness, his clarity and his understanding, not only what the gospel says, but what the tradition has offered to all sorts of people of goodwill.”
Schmalz said “MAGA Catholics” are a large part of Trump’s constituency, and that the president’s comments could put them at a crossroads.
“My personal sense is that many MAGA Catholics are not fans of Pope Leo,” he said. “But at the same time, they’re going to have to consider deeply the way in which President Trump and his Secretary of War are treating the Catholic Church within this very important and historically significant time.”
