When Berkley Center and Georgetown colleague Rev. Drew Christiansen, S.J., passed away in April 2022, he left behind a significant legacy applying the rich tradition of Catholic social teaching to issues of peacebuilding, just war, nuclear disarmament, and environmental justice. This two-day conference gathered influential scholars and practitioners—many of whom worked for decades with Fr. Christiansen—who honored his contributions and explored current and future challenges related to these topics. Panels addressed interreligious peacebuilding, with a focus on the Middle East; just war, peacebuilding, and non-violence; current challenges in nuclear arms control and disarmament; and fostering environmental justice.
This event was co-sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University; Churches for Middle East Peace Catholic Advisory Council; the Catholic Peacebuilding Network; the Center for Religion and Culture at Fordham University; the Global Security Institute; the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies at the Catholic University of America; the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Keough School of Global Affairs, at the University of Notre Dame; and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Office of International Justice and Peace.
Video of the conference sessions are available on the Berkley Center event site.
Schedule
Monday, November 14
1:30 - 1:45 p.m. EST | Opening Remarks
President John DeGioia, Georgetown University
1:45 - 2:45 p.m. EST | Plenary Address
Rev. David Hollenbach, S.J., Georgetown University
Hollenbach Remembering Drew Christiansen
2:45 - 2:50 p.m. EST | Break
2:50 - 4:05 p.m. EST | Nuclear Weapons: Moving Beyond the Current Impasse
David Koplow (moderator), Georgetown University
Maryann Cusimano Love, Catholic University of America
Jonathan Granoff, Global Security Institute
Martin Hellman, Stanford University
Douglas Shaw, Nuclear Threat Initiative
4:05 - 4:15 p.m. EST | Break
4:15 - 5:30 p.m. EST | A New Start for Nuclear Arms Control
Carole Sargent (moderator), Georgetown University
Amb. James Goodby, Stanford University
Daryl Kimball, Arms Control Association
Jenifer Mackby, Federation of American Scientists
Greg Thielmann, Arms Control Association
5:30 - 6:15 p.m. EST | Reception
Tuesday, November 15
8:45 - 10:00 a.m. EST | Interreligious Peacebuilding: The Middle East
Amelia Uelmen (moderator), Georgetown University
Joseph Cornelius Donnelly, NGO Permanent Delegate to UN (emeritus)
John Borelli, Georgetown University
Rabbi David Saperstein, former U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom
Sir Jeffrey Abood, Churches for Middle East Peace
10:00 - 10:10 a.m. EST | Break
10:10 - 11:25 a.m. EST | Environmental Justice
John Carr (moderator), Georgetown University
William Barbieri, Catholic University of America
Patricia Andrasik, Catholic University of America
Walter Grazer, former director of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Environmental Justice Program
Erin Lothes, Saint Elizabeth University
11:25 - 11:35 a.m. EST | Break
11:35 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. EST | Just War, Just Peace, and Nonviolence
Maryann Cusimano Love (moderator), Catholic University of America
Steve Colecchi, former director of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Office of International Justice and Peace
Laurie Johnston, Emmanuel College
Gerard Powers, University of Notre Dame
12:45 - 1:00 p.m. EST | Concluding Remarks
Thomas Banchoff, Georgetown University
Maryann Cusimano Love, Catholic University of America
Gerard Powers, University of Notre Dame