Abstract
Religious leaders can act as norm-builders in global policymaking due to their prominence in civil society and their access to social capital. This role is reflected in the preamble to the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which is unique in acknowledging religious leaders in its preamble. The authors argue while the role of religion in international diplomacy is often ignored, the formal recognition of the role of religion in the TPNW reflects a long and ongoing history of faith-based action on nuclear disarmament. The chapter focuses on the role of religious groups in the TPNW’s negotiations, including advocacy with the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), and the diplomatic efforts of the Holy See.
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Notes
- 1.
Other religious and faith-based member organizations of ICAN include: including Christian CND, Soka Gakkai International, the World Council of Churches, Pax Christi, Religious Society of Friends-Canada, Quaker Peace and Social Witness, Church of Norway Council on Ecumenical and International sRelations and World Student Christian Federation Norway. Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Africa Council of Religious Leaders, Christian Council of Nigeria, Centre Quakers International-France, Anglican Church of Canada, Canadian Quakers, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Anglican Diocese of Gippsland, Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, Baptist Union of Victoria, Catholics in Coalition of Justice and Peace, and the Uniting Church in Australia (National Assembly, Western Australia-Social Justice Board, Justice and International Mission Unit). This list reflects the membership in January 2018. For an updated list, see http://www.icanw.org/campaign/partner-organizations/.
- 2.
Interviewees and correspondents include: Sister Carol Gilbert, Anna Ikeda, Kimiaki Kawai, Jasmin Nario-Galace, Sister Ardeth Platte, Hideaki Yanashima, and Mary Yelenik.
- 3.
The authors are particularly grateful for the efforts of Kimiaki Kawai, Anna Ikeda and Hideaki Yanashima for their assistance with this section.
- 4.
Ephemera in possession of the authors.
- 5.
These statements are available in WCC archives.
- 6.
However, it is important to note that this strategy is not necessarily shared by all chapters of Pax Christi. The President of Pax Christi-Pilipinas noted in her interview that she does not use faith in an explicit way when interacting with diplomats.
- 7.
Ephemera in possession of the authors.
- 8.
For a fuller analysis of the role of faith-based advocacy during the NPT, see: Welty (2016).
- 9.
In addition to the statements referenced here, Lynnet Ngayu (2017) of African Council of Religious Leaders also delivered one of the ICAN statements which was not faith-based but which reflected the partnership of faith-based organizations within ICAN.
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Welty, E., with Gabrielle Chalk. (2020). Religious Advocacy and Activism for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. In: Bolton, M., Njeri, S., Benjamin-Britton, T. (eds) Global Activism and Humanitarian Disarmament. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27611-9_4
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