Pope Leo's Strategy for a World at War
Michael Driessen explains why the conclave took an extraordinary risk, how Pope Leo XIV is reshaping the Vatican's role in global politics, and why religion may be more important to world peace than e
For generations, the idea of an American pope seemed almost unthinkable. The United States already possessed unparalleled geopolitical influence, and many feared that electing a pope from the world’s dominant superpower would politicize the papacy and compromise the Holy See’s global independence.
Yet in 2025, the cardinals did exactly that.
Michael Driessen is one of the world’s leading scholars of religion and international politics. Earlier this year, Pope Leo XIV appointed him as a consultor to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, where he advises the Holy See on the role of religion in international affairs and peacebuilding.
In this conversation, we discuss:
Why the cardinals chose the first American pope
Whether Pope Leo was elected because of Donald Trump
Why Pope Leo has already clashed with the Trump administration
What Pope Leo means by an “unarmed and disarming peace”
Whether interreligious dialogue has failed after Ukraine and Gaza
How the Vatican works behind the scenes to prevent wars
Why religion is becoming more—not less—important in global politics
Whether Christian nationalism and Pope Leo’s vision are fundamentally different
Why Pope Leo believes lasting peace requires shared moral foundations
At a time when wars, nationalism, and great-power rivalry are reshaping the international order, this conversation explores a deeper question: can religion still help prevent conflict—or is the world entering an era where power alone determines the future?